Authors Note: Thanks for reading this far. It means alot to me.

Thanks to the reviews and I think that the next few chapters are something of a build up to the main storyline.

Please continue to read and review, whether good or bad.

Arthur paced impatiently around the room, cursing both the lateness of the hour and the laziness of his servant. Normally, it wouldn't bother him; being the ruler of a kingdom still in the process of rebuilding itself, he appreciated any sleep he could get. It wasn't uncommon for him to fall asleep past midnight, having to get up deal with some disturbance or other just a couple of hours later. But today, despite no such bother, he had woken long before the dawn. In the small hours of the morning he had awoke suddenly, as though someone had been shouting in his ear. Something, like a half forgotten memory, flitted away from him before he could sieze it. Quietly, so as to not wake Guinevere, he had slipped of bed and gone to stand at the window to look at his kingdom beyond. In the dark of the night, he could make out very little. Frustrated and unable to return to sleep, he began to pace the room, silently at first, then quicker and taking bolder steps as his annoyance grew. As he tread a groove in the floor with his constant steps between table and window, window and table, his mind wandered.

He thought of the progress of the kingdom and how much remained to be done. He thought of his father and wondered if he would be proud of his son, he thought of his mother and wondered what she would have said. He thought of the knights, the friends he had lost and the ones who had had their lives torn apart. He thought of Merlin, and what his closest friend had been through, instantly feeling guilty for being so hard on him. He thought of his wife and queen. She'd been at his side for so long now, he had almost forgotten her humble roots. She had approached the role with a gentle air of dignity and justice, so profound he sometimes found it difficult to remember she had once been a simple maid.

Eventually, inevitably, his thoughts turned to Morgana and with them came the Sarrums angry words, eching in his mind.

"I kept her, like an animal." Anger bubbled inside him as he remembered the fierce, bloodthirsty joy in the sarrums eyes as he recollected the account of how he had tortured her and the dragon, the only creature alive who appeared to love her. Love such a simple word and such a complicated curse. To watch ones loved one suffer is something that no one should have to endure, no matter who they are.

In all of his time as prince he had known exactly what kingdom he had wanted. He had wanted a Camelot that was fair and just, where the punishment met the crime. But more than that, he wanted to be a king the people liked, one that they trusted. He wanted to be able to help them. Mostly, he wanted to give the people a chance to begin again. He wanted them to have a chance of retribution, no matter what thier crimes. If they were truly sorry, he would help them. Even Morgana.

For all of her faults, and there were many, he didn't believe her to be an intrinsically evil person; instead just one that made all of the wrong choices. The Morgana he'd known had been a good, kind person who'd tried her best to help the poor and the sick, but refused to be ruled over by anyone else. She was the kind of person Arthur had hoped to become and he didn't believe that beneath all the layers of fear and blame she had disappeared forever. Even when she was trying to kill him, he had clung onto the desperate hope that she could still be saved.

Or she could be, if she wasn't dead. Arthur forced himself to take slow, steadying breaths as a wave of grief washed over him for another lost friend, for that is what he considered her to be, a friend he couldn't save.

Even when she was bent on his destruction, he hadn't hated her. Feared her? Yes. Disliked her? Certainly. But not hated. There was too much history between them for that. They had grown up together after all, the only children in a palace full of nobles. Some of his fondest memories were of the two of them together, racing through the castle, bashing at each other with makeshift swords and then being scolded for skipping their lessons. As they'd got older, they remained close friends; he envied her determination and fearlessness, whilst she envied his relationship with his father. Their father. When he found out that they were siblings, he had been shocked. He hadn't, for one moment suspected that they could be related. As he got used to the idea, it began to please him, especially the knowledge that he was not alone.

He started as the door clattered open.

"Merlin!" he yelled, without needing to turn around, "You could wake the whole of Camelot with your noise." He span on heels to glare at his servant, hands on his hips.

"Where have you been!? I've been waiting ages for you."

Slightly out of breath, Merlin replied, the shock evident in his voice,

"You're dressed?!"

Incredulously, Arthur exclaimed

"As a king I do possess some skills," although he did understand the other mans shock. Usually, he would wait until Merlin had arrived to dress him, deeming the task too trivial to do for himself, but this in the early hours of the morning, he had reached a level of boredom that resulted in him attempting to prepare himself for the day. Never a bid to hide his embarrassment, he said,

"Anyway, do you ever listen to a word I say?" already knowing the answer, "I asked where have you been."

Only then did he take in the tired, drawn look his servant had.

"What is the matter with you? You look like you haven't slept."

That's probably because I haven't." Merlin replied.

Annoyed that he was going to have to spend the day with a tired, so almost useless servant, but not wanting to press for more answers, Arthur shrugged.

"Well I can't help you with that. Come on, lots to do."

He attempted to keep his voice light, as though he couldn't care less, but there was no fooling Merlin. The other man had been his best friend for a long time and there were virtually no secrets between the two. Before he had the chance to respond, the king swept from the room, forcing the loyal servant to practically run to catch up.

Within a few short minutes, they had reached the kings personal study. All offical business was still conducted in the council chambers, but shortly after the bloodshed that been Camlann, he'd decided that he needed a room of his own to make his desicions, with only a handful of trusted confidants, hopefully reducing the possibility of traitors.

The room he had chosen had been, in what felt like another life, Morgana's. He wasn't exactly sure why he had chosen them, but out of all the rooms in the castle, and there were plenty, these just felt right. Whenever he was in there, he felt a ghost of her, like a shadow of his previous life, reminding him of what he had lost and how much remained to be achieved.

"Did you put those there?" he asked, indicating a vase of white lillies in the window.

Merlin shook his head. "No they were already there when I came in this morning."

The king nodded once, puzzled by thd flowers mysterious presence. Deciding to ask someone else about it later, he shrugged and sat down at the table, looking forwards to his breakfast.

He had barely begun to eat, when the door swung open, and Sir Leon, one of his closest friends burst in.

"Sire." He bowed once, "Your presence is needed urgently. A matter of great urgency has arisen in the council chambers."

Cursing silently, he stood to his feet and rushed from the room, his morning meal barely touched.