As they group rode up to the gates Uther was on the top of the steps. Merlin felt the familiar nervousness set in that always occupied Uther's presence. This is odd. He thought as he brought his horse to a halt. He doesn't usually wait for us to come back. I wonder what happened. He thought of what could possibly go wrong in three days. Please don't let it be another evil sorcerer again.

Servants came forward at once to take the other horses from the knights as Merlin went to Arthur and took the reins from him. Dave and Karkat were apparently having trouble getting off their of them seemed to not know how to actually get off of the animals. Merlin looked and caught Gwaine's look of can you believe these guys, to which he rolled his eyes and snorted at.

Gwaine eventually helped them down by telling them where to put their feet, and which way to swing around. He then motioned for servants to take their horses as well.

"Father?" Merlin heard the question in Arthur's voice, saw his shoulders tense up. So he hadn't been expecting this either, Merlin's eyebrows drew together as he tried not to think the worst.

"Arthur. I must discuss something with you." Merlin saw the tension leave Arthur's shoulders. Probably some trade agreement, thought Merlin hoping for boring royal news.

Uther then spoke directly to the knights."You are all dismissed, get some rest."

"I will see you all at training tomorrow morning." Arthur added as they all went into the castle, and to their barracks. He then motioned for Merlin and the other servants to take the horses. Merlin looked back at Dave and Karkat as he left. I'll have to ask Kilgharrah about them. He thought as he turned continued on with his chores.

Karkat regarded the slightly overweight human adult before him. His sensitive nose picking up on the nervous sweat that accompanied nervousness. His eyebrows drew together as hid himself in the safety of his makeshift hood.

"Arthur, I trust your trip went well." The man said as he nodded to the knights when they passed. His gaze briefly locked with Karkat's, the younger troll refusing to look away first. So he hadn't failed to notice the two extras to the party, or our lack of knowledge regarding hoofbeasts, the troll noted as the man's gaze moved to Dave. .

"Who is this?" His gaze turned calculating as he continued to stare at Dave.

Dave just gave a half-hearted wave, while Karkat was looking around the courtyard, noting possible escape routes should the adult turn hostile.

"Ah, yes. Dave, Karkat this is my father, King Uther. Father, meet Dave…" Arthur looked at Dave. "I didn't get your last name."

"Strider," he gestured to Karkat, "and this is Karkat Kiss-ass."

"It's Vantas." Karkat growled. Fucking Prick, he thought, he crossed his arms and regarded Uther with caution. He took notice of the way the king tried to make himself look bigger at the sight of Dave and Himself. This guy reminds me of Eridan, trying to be intimidating when there isn't a reason to be.

"Dave is a knight from another kingdom." Arthur said in simple explanation.

Uther's expression immediately shifted into a more neutral configuration as he absorbed this, he looked from Dave to Karkat again, taking in their rumpled clothing, and assuming it was from travel. Uther noticed the lack of any colour on Karkat's clothing other that his 'hood', and the abundance of red on Dave's own outfit. He came to the conclusion that Karkat was below Dave in status and therefore not worth his attention, because of this he didn't take notice of the lack of pigment in the troll's skin, or the vague horn shapes pushing the cloth around his head up at an odd angle.

I'll have to talk to Arthur about keeping the proper company again. Thought Uther as he looked over the 'servant' and his dirty clothes.

"What is your business here?" Uther had stalked closer to the two friends. He stood in front of Dave trying -and failing- to look intimidating. Arthur had followed, and stood at his father's right side.

"We're jus-" Karkat began but Uther held up a hand effectively cutting him off. The troll glared at the king and looked like he wanted to punch him in the face. Dave hid a snicker by coughing.

"What kingdom are you from." He continued without giving them a real chance to answer, before he could continue with his fast paced questions Dave cleared his throat and answered.

"I'm from Texas originally. But I guess I live on the Land of Heat and Clockwork now." Dave's expression didn't shift beyond him moving his lips, and the raise of an eyebrow. Almost as if he was daring Uther to interrupt him as well, the king didn't.

The king nodded, this boy must be training to be a diplomat. He thought, as he turned his gaze to the 'servant'. With slightly more distain he spat out, "And you."

"Alternia. Or the Land of Pulse and Haze." His voice was steady and didn't hold the caution of a servant, he stood proud and as tall as he could, looking the king in the eyes. He's either courageous or stupid, Uther thought as he observed Karkat's behaviour.

"Different kingdoms?" Uther questioned. An alliance, perhaps.

Karkat scoffed, again being reminded of Eridan and when he flared out his fins to look bigger. When he answered his voice held no respect ,"Obviously."

"They helped in a bandit attack, I thought we could repay them by allowing them to rest here before they continue on." Arthur could see his father consider the words,"They have no where to stay, sire."

Seeing the opportunity to find out about neighbouring kingdoms Uther accepted easily.

"Of course. Would you and your servant like separate quarters?" Uther said casually. He then saw Karkat's face morph into fury.

"Servant! I'm not his servant!" Karkat screeched.

Dave put a hand on Karkat's arm in an attempt to calm him down. Dave sighed before addressing the two Pendragons.

"I think there's been some communication issues, man. Karkat's a friend. Where I'm from we're self reliant, independent, no servants for miles." Dave shrugged. " If anything I was my older bro's servant for most of my life, or his punching bag."

"And we would like to be close together." Karkat said as he brushed Dave's hand off his arm.

Arthur and Uther's expressions were that of shock. Arthur because Who the hell talks to a king that way. Uther because What kind of knight addresses his superiors as such.

"Right. So I don't know about y'all," Dave cleared his throat, "I mean, you guys, but I'm dead tired and would really like to bathe. So if we could be a little less awkward and get the show on the road. That'd be grand," Seeing the shock on the Pendragon's faces Dave added a quick,"Sir," on the end.

"Of course, you must be very tired. We'll discuss this more tomorrow." The king nodded to Arthur as a way of 'goodbye' before stalking into the castle.

Arthur called over a servant. "Show our guests to their rooms."

He said good bye to Dave and Karkat before following Uther into the castle.

"That went well." Karkat said under his breath as him and Dave followed the servant into the castle.

Their "rooms" in Dave's opinion weren't so much rooms as bachelor apartments. Dave saw an outrageously large four-poster bed decorated with red and yellow embroidered sheets. A few intricately carved wooden chests -Holy shit. Are these hand made?- and a window with a view of all of Camelot.

Compared to his old room in Texas, this was a mansion. However thinking about his planet Dave supposed the room was a minor downgrade.Better than the ground if anything, he thought while looking around.

When he was satisfied that no one could sneak up on him he jumped face first onto the bed and tried to relax.

Karkat was put into a room across from Dave's. He was less than pleased with the arrangement, seeing as he didn't fucking trust these douchebags. His own room very closely resembled Dave's, or what Karkat had seen of Dave's room from under his -fucking stupid- 'hood', but his view was that of the forests that surrounded the town. He had to keep pushing the hood up to prevent himself from falling over his own feet as he looked around the room for anywhere someone might hide.

Speaking of the hood, Why the fuck do I even have to wear this? He thought as he ripped the cloth off of his head and threw it onto the bed that was in the middle of his room. He grumbled to himself sitting down next to the discarded cape and pulled out his husktop to see if anyone was online.

Merlin had gone to his own room after tending to the horse's, thoughts of the new stranger in his mind. Who, or what are they? They aren't human. Well Karkat's definitely not. He opened the door and noticed that Gaius had left him a note saying that he went to the lower town to check on a patient. He changed before heading to Arthur's room.

Arthur was sitting at his desk, waiting for Merlin to show up. As he waited he mulled over the two the group had encountered in the forest.

I don't trust Karkat. He said he wasn't magic, but he has to be some kind of creature. He has horns! Something isn't right about them. He shrugged off these thoughts as something to test tomorrow when he invited the two to train with the other knights.

Merlin arrived shortly after and helped him get ready for what was surely going to be a dinner full of questions about his trip with his father.

Karkat was surprised when a notification sounded. The stupid game must keep the connection. He thought as he opened the new chat window.

gardenGnostic: Karkat! It's so good to see you online c:

carcinoGeneticist: HELLO. WHERE THE EVERLOVING FUCK ARE YOU? IS YOUR LEADER WITH YOU?

gardenGnostic: John? Yeah! We're in this weird forest thing. feels like earth but thats impossible

carcinoGeneticist: WHATS AROUND YOU

gardenGnostic: trees?

carcinoGeneticist: HAHA I MEAN UP. YOU CAN FLY CANT YOU?

gardenGnostic: oh! yeah one sec ill send you a picture

gardenGnostic: -gardenGnostic has sent you a file-

Karkat opened the picture file revealing the castle he and Dave were in in the distance.

carcinoGeneticist: THATS WHERE ME AND STRIDER ARE.

gardenGnostic: what?! thats great Karkat!

gardenGnostic: john and me will fly over right away! :DD

carcinoGeneticist: GOOD. I DONT KNOW HOW MUCH MORE I CAN TAKE OF THE "COOL KID"

carcinoGeneticist: HES BEING SUCH AN ASS

gardenGnostic: aw :c

gardenGnostic: hes probably worried!

gardenGnostic: oh! someones yelling at john, we'll see you soon!

-gardenGnostic has ceased pestering carcinoGeneticist-

Hey, thanks for reading this story, if you prefer ao3 I'm on there with the same user name and story names. As always please leave a review and have a good day/week c: