A/N: I can't say thank you enough for the response to this fic! The feedback is wonderful :)
When he woke, he blinked in surprise at the blanket that was covering him. Night had faded to morning and the fire was long dead in the hearth. He wondered who had given him the blanket to stay warm.
Upon looking around, he discovered he was not alone in the room. Shooting upright, he narrowed his eyes at the female sorcerer, sat at the table, toying with his dagger which he had lost in the fight yesterday.
"Ah, you're awake," she stated, not taking her eyes off the point where the dagger was working a hole in the wood.
"Where's Emrys?" Arthur asked, not entirely sure why, but feeling the dark haired sorcerer was a lot safer to be around than this woman.
"King Emrys - really Arthur, you should learn to use your master's title correctly. You can address me as Lady Morgause, or mistress."
Arthur regarded her coolly.
Looking up from her vandalism of the table, Morgause smirked.
Realising he wasn't going to get any information from he unless he played the game, Arthur shifted and swallowed.
"Where is the King?" he asked, disgust rising in his throat. He had sworn allegiance to his father, his true king, till death. Even in this small act, he felt the guilt of betrayal.
"He is busy with matters of court," Morgause responded. "He told me about your little game last night. I see he had to restrain you accordingly."
Remembering the chain for the first time since he'd woken up, Arthur pulled at it lightly.
"I wanted to take a much more brutal approach. If I'd had my way you'd have been down in the dungeons, whipped until you know longer knew your own name and then ... well, we won't go into the details. Emrys made me back down however, said his approach would work."
"And what is his approach ... my Lady," Arthur added after a hesitation.
Morgause smirked once again. "Wait and see."
Arthur didn't know which made him more uncomfortable, the cold, impassive tone with which she'd described his possible torture, of her clear excitement in what lay in store for him.
"I won't break. I'll never betray Camelot."
Arthur realised he really should learn that defiance was getting him nowhere. The dagger flashed out of nowhere, slicing across his cheek of its own accord. Arthur flinched at the pain but refused to wipe away the blood that was trickling down his cheek.
Morgause was inspecting her nails.
She's easily angered though, Arthur thought to himself, filing the thought away for later.
"He is far more dangerous than you can ever imagine, his power knows no limits," Morgause said impassively. "And for what you've done to me and my kind, you would be wise not to test mine."
She left the room, her threat hanging in the air.
Arthur brought his hand up to his cheek, wiping at the blood which had collected there. His hand came away stained red and he grimaced.
You could be a lot worse off though, a voice said in his head. Part of the fear he was feeling deep in his stomach, was that Emrys and Morgause hadn't really done anything. ... Yet.
He had dropped off to sleep again when he heard the door opening. This time he got to his feet, determined to appear strong.
The person who appeared shocked him however.
"Gwen!" His exclamation was both of relief and fear.
"Arthur ..." Gwen blinked at him, her gaze finding his cheek.
"It's nothing," he said, "just a scratch."
"I expected to find you worse," Gwen said, coming into the room fully, standing almost awkwardly before Arthur.
Arthur shook his head, slightly bemused at that fact as well. "They haven't done anything."
"They sent me to clean the room," Gwen said, gesturing around at the general state of untidiness.
"My manservant clearly was distracted yesterday ..." Arthur trailed off. He didn't know what had happened to George. The thought made him slightly sick.
"Don't worry, I'll sort it."
Arthur blinked in surprise as Gwen immediately set to tidying, straightening the furniture and putting his clothes away. She even made the bed, not commenting on Arthur chosen sleeping arrangements.
Arthur felt a little useless, however he kicked a pair of his boots under the bed as a method of doing something.
Gwen gave him an admonishing glance and retrieved them, putting them next to the cupboard.
Arthur sighed and dropped back onto his rug.
"Are you alright?" he asked, cursing himself for not asking sooner.
"Yes fine," Gwen replied briskly, "most of the servants are. Scared of course ... but physically fine. That's the most we can ask for really."
"What are they getting you to do?" Arthur asked.
Gwen hesitated in the folding of his jacket. "I'm acting as maidservant ... to Morgana."
Arthur made a small noise, of anger or sadness he wasn't quiet sure.
"I guess I should have expected her to be here," he said bitterly.
"She's ... fine. But, not the Morgana we used to know," Gwen said hesitantly.
"And can any of us claim to know her?" Arthur replied, running a hand through his hair in mild frustration, "it was probably all just a pack of lies."
Gwen finished tidying and came to sit in front of Arthur.
"She wasn't all bad," she said quietly.
Arthur shook his head, showing the topic was at an end. He didn't want to think about Morgana.
"Who else ... who else is here? Are there any knights?" he asked, half hopeful, half dreading Gwen's response.
"Some knights were captured, I believe Sir Leon is among them, the rest escaped ... or are dead." Gwen went pale for a moment and Arthur felt a pang of sorrow for his fallen comrades.
"You're father escaped of course, but Gaius is still here. He's safe don't worry, I think they're still determining whether he's a threat."
"I need to see him," Arthur said quickly.
"It'll be difficult," Gwen admitted, "you're guarded. I don't think they'll trust Gaius."
"Do they trust you?" Arthur asked.
"I'm just a servant," Gwen shrugged. "What could I possibly do?"
Arthur gave a despondent sigh and Gwen reached out to touch his shoulder, a firm, but gentle presence.
"Stay strong Arthur, Camelot needs you."
Arthur met her gaze, full of strength and surety and above all hope, which Arthur couldn't quite fathom.
"You too," he responded quietly.
Nodding and taking her hand back, Gwen got to her feet and left.
Arthur was alone again.
