CHAPTER 4
Arthur sat at the council table and stared ahead. The council meeting had ended an hour ago. It was worse than he thought. Not only was the kingdom nearly destitute but Uther had left the management to imbeciles. Merlin could have done better, Arthur thought. The coffers were nearly drained and the castle was in disrepair. Most of the money had gone to frivolous things such as feasts and parties not to things that were needed such as armies and repairs to the castle. He could see the cracks in the walls when he arrived. It almost looked like a battle had been fought and no repairs had been done afterwards.

"You want some supper?" Merlin asked quietly. He could tell that Arthur was upset. It was a lot to come back to after six years.

"Not yet Merlin. Sit down. How much of this did you know when you went to get me?" Arthur asked with his head in his hands. He had a feeling he knew the answer.

Merlin sat down. "All of it. Gaius confides in me when he gets frustrated with the other Council members. I didn't know that they would ask you to set Gwen aside to marry someone else."

"I'm sure this Princess Mithian is lovely but I am married to Guinevere and I will stay that way." Arthur ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Maybe it wasn't a good thing to bring up the children. That seemed to make it worse." Merlin said. "I can't believe they wanted you to say they weren't yours. Your son looks just like you."

"Hmph! They are my children and I love them and their mother." Arthur slammed his fist on the table.

Merlin jumped. "I should maybe go." Merlin went to get up.

"No Merlin, stay I need to talk this out with someone." Arthur said.

Merlin nodded. He looked at his hands on the table and stayed quiet.

"There will be some changes around here and the Council is going to get a good clearing out first. They made a mess of things. Why did father let this go on? How ill was my father, really?"

"He was very ill at the end. Lord Agravaine had been doing most of his duties." Merlin told him. "I don't think the King really knew what was going on."

"Do you trust him? I know he is my uncle but I don't remember him at all. I don't think he was ever in Camelot until now." Arthur asked. He was suspicious of the man mostly from the state Camelot was in now and the fact he was first to suggest that he divorce Gwen.

"He came four years after you left. Gaius doesn't trust him." Merlin said. He looked at Arthur trying to gauge his reaction. He could tell that Arthur was angry and getting angrier.

"And you?" Arthur asked. "Do you trust him? I only ask because I haven't been here to see what he is about."

"No." Merlin looked at Arthur seriously. "I have always thought that he was trying to get Uther to make him the heir to the throne. Uther was ill but I think he still held out hope that you may come back and beg his forgiveness."

"So he is after my throne." Arthur sat back and took a deep breath. "Does he have support among the Nobles or the Knights?"

"There are a few nobles and as you can see a few of the council members on his side. I don't believe the Knights like him. He treats them more like servants than soldiers." Merlin told him. "I work the tournaments and he is not well thought of among the Knights."

"What do you mean?" Arthur was puzzled.

"He got into a disagreement with Sir Leon and some of the other Knights were witness to it. He tried to get Sir Leon to remove himself from the King's Private Guard. He said that Knights were not necessary to guard the King's chambers at night but Uther came to Sir Leon's defense and told Sir Agravaine to attend to something other than the guarding of his chambers."

"So he was trying to get new guards for my father. To kill him?" Arthur asked. "That wouldn't bring him any closer to the throne. It would still happen the way it did."

"I'm not sure it would. Sir Agravaine has suspicious friends. Gaius even thinks that he has a sorcerer on his side." Merlin was sure that he did. "He had seen him with one just a few days past."

Merlin knew Sir Agravaine wouldn't be dealing with the man again because he was dead. Sir Agravaine had killed the man as he watched hidden in the trees.

"Well then he is the first I will ask to leave the Court. I can't have that kind of thing." Arthur said. "Sorcery is a crime."

"Do you think that is wise?" Merlin asked. "Maybe you should let him give you a reason to ask him to go. He will not make you wait long if his behavior at the council meeting is any indication."

Arthur nodded. "I will have him watched. I need to talk to Gaius about all this. Is he in his chambers about now?"

"Yes I usually join him for dinner." Merlin said.

"Tell him he is eating with the King tonight and you will serve." Arthur said. "Just you and no one else. Can you arrange that, Merlin?"

"Yes I will get right on it." Merlin got up and bowed then left to get Gaius and make the dinner arrangements.

Arthur sat quietly thinking of Gwen and the children and hoping they were safely on the way to Camelot.