Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter 7 – Truth Discovered

Gaius was unsurprisingly busy when Merlin burst into his chamber but given the seriousness of what was going on the warlock had no qualms about interrupting him. He then explained his theory and showed Gaius the bracelet. Gaius had long ago agreed that Guinevere's action were unlike her, and since they knew Lancelot to be a shade, it was not impossible that this was Morgana's handiwork.

"We will have to prove it though." He said as he gathered a few books. "Regardless that he has forgiven her, Arthur will need proof that Gwen was enchanted to truly believe it."

"So how do we prove it?"

"First we must find out exactly what spell Morgana used. We will go from there." Given what Guinevere had said, they suspected that it was some type of compulsion charm she had been under, but exactly what kind they did not know. It took all day and the better part of the night before they found the spell Morgana had used on the bracelet. It was indeed a strong compulsion charm that was also keyed to Guinevere, as Merlin had discovered when he'd tried the bracelet on and nothing had happened, making it the perfect spell for it would be just another piece of jewellery in anyone else's hands. Because of this, Merlin was uncertain exactly how to prove to Arthur it was enchanted. Unless they didn't tell him the entire truth. Merlin could easily alter the spell so it wasn't keyed to a specific person and they could then show Arthur exactly what Guinevere had felt. Although neither liked lying, both Merlin and Gaius were in agreement that it was the only way, and reasoned that as they weren't creating a different spell and merely altering the part that keyed it to Guinevere, that they were still technically telling him the truth. They brought it before Arthur after a council meeting, but while the Knights were still there – Merlin taking great pleasure in making Elyan feel guilty – though it also meant that Agravaine was there as well. At first Arthur tried to refuse to even let them speak given how upset it had made both him and Guinevere, but in his usual fashion, Merlin ploughed on regardless of Arthur's wishes.

"Gwen was enchanted. Her betrayal with the shade wasn't her own doing but brought on by magic." That got Arthur's attention, as well as Guinevere's, who tried not to look too hopeful.

"When Merlin brought the bracelet to me I could tell immediately that it was magical, Sire." Gaius said.

"This all sounds very convenient, Gaius." Agravaine interrupted. "The King's betrothed betrays him and suddenly, months later, she was enchanted?"

"It is because it is months later that I would have no reason to lie, Sire. If this was a trick, would I not have brought it forth much sooner?"

"And what does it do?" He seemed almost scared to ask.

"Why don't you find out for yourself?" Gaius held up the bracelet and though Arthur hesitated, he eventually took it and placed it around his wrist. At first nothing happened, but slowly Arthur's face paled before growing thunderous. He whipped the bracelet off and threw it with an angry roar across the room.

"You wore that for two days before giving in to Lancelot?" He demanded, rounding on Guinevere and looking in her eyes with guilt and desperation in his own. That he did not say 'betrayed me' did not go unnoticed. Guinevere nodded, and Arthur kicked over the nearest chair in a fit of rage.

"Sire, what did the bracelet do?" Leon asked.

"It filled her head with nothing but thoughts of Lancelot." He growled. "Not a minute wearing it and he was all I could think about…and she held it off for two days."

"Sire, are you certain-" Agravaine tried to intervene but cut off when Arthur's thunderous look turned on him.

"Do you doubt me, uncle? Do you doubt what I felt when I put that bracelet on?" Agravaine merely shook his head. He'd learned his lesson the last time he'd tried to put a wedge between them; Guinevere was the one thing upon which Arthur would accept no games. "Double the guard searching for Morgana." He instructed his uncle. "She will pay for this, I will make sure of it. Now get out. Now!" Agravaine scrambled to do as commanded, and when the door closed Arthur sank to his knees before his wife, grasping her hands in his and dropping his head onto her lap. "I was a fool to ever doubt you." He muttered finally. "Your actions were so unlike you…and I believed it."

"We both did, Sire." Elyan said, looking stricken at the pain he'd caused his sister. Merlin was tempted to say that he'd never doubted Guinevere, but thought better than to voice that particular thought. While he had not believed Guinevere capable of such actions, her own brother had and Guinevere had yet to forgive him for it; though it wasn't until now that it appeared Elyan would seek her forgiveness.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Arthur mumbled over and over again, heedless to the fact he was allowing himself to appear so weak in public; her knew none here would hold it against him.

"We all are." Leon said, feeling upset that he'd ever believed the worst of his childhood friend, regardless that he'd been suspicious of it. Each Knight felt the need to personally apologize to their Queen, though they knew words were not enough and vowed to make it up to her. Of course, Arthur would have to let them first and it appeared that he wouldn't any time soon for the moment he had regained control of himself he'd lifted Guinevere into his arms and, ignoring her protests, carried her to their chambers.

"Arthur, it's all right." Guinevere tried yet again to get him to stop pacing. He'd been agitated since they'd arrived, alternating between needing to hold her while apologizing and pacing while muttering what a fool he was and that Morgana would pay.

"No it's not all right!" He snapped, before apologizing once more, though she knew it was not her he was angry at. "I believed the worst of you, Guinevere. I believed you capable of such betrayal even against all the years I have known you. Not once in all those years have you ever even given a hint that you were capable of such a thing and yet I believe it of you." He was quite torn up about this and though a part of Guinevere had been hurt that he could believe the worst of her so quickly, she knew it was hard to argue with what you saw with your own eyes.

"Come here." She said, holding her hand out to him and staring him down until he did as instructed. He sat next to her and allowed her to comfort him though he felt it should be the other way around.

"I don't understand how you aren't angry with me. Or how you could forgive me."

"I am angry, Arthur, but not with you. I am angry that this ever happened and angry with the one responsible. This is Morgana's doing and it was done to tear us apart. I am not going to let her win."

"But I-"

"You reacted the only way you could. Under a spell or not I still kissed Lancelot, and we did not know I was under a spell. As such how else could you react? I mean, I suppose you could have executed me or banished me instead of still marrying me, but you believed what you saw with your own eyes. How could you do otherwise?"

"If I believed in you more I would have thought that perhaps magic was involved earlier on, for your actions were so unlike you."

"Perhaps, and I am quite relieved that I was enchanted, for I believed it of me too, Arthur, don't forget that. Elyan too believed it. My own brother believed it and cast me aside. That hurts far more than your actions. You did what you must with the information you had, but Elyan is my brother. He should have stuck by my side regardless and yet he didn't. He is the one I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive, not you."

"Guinevere-"

"I do not want to talk anymore of Elyan." She waved him off, knowing he was going to speak on her brother's behalf, and try to vilify himself to do so; she was not ready to listen just yet. "You must forgive yourself, Arthur, for I do not blame you. Do this, if for no other reason that I ask it of you, and to do otherwise would have Morgana succeed." Those two things combined sealed Arthur's fate; he would do anything she asked, and knew he could also not let Morgana win.

"Very well, I shall do as you ask. But under one condition." She eyed him suspiciously. "Even if for tonight only, you allow me to make it up to you." His tone had turned suggestive and Guinevere could not help the smile that graced her face.

"I do believe we will both enjoy such efforts, husband mine. However, it is far from nightfall." It was, in fact, not even midday.

"I am The King am I not? If I wish to spend the day in bed with my wife, no one will disturb us." He picked her up again and carried her to their bed.

"You are using your station to neglect your duties." She teased as he removed his shirt and came to hover over her.

"Is not providing the kingdom with an heir one of our main duties? We neglect nothing, wife, and are actually hard at work on matters of state." A laugh escaped her but before she could utter any further retort Arthur lowered his lips to hers and everything but the two of them in this moment was swept away.

oo00oo00oo

They did indeed remain in their chambers for the rest of the day, Merlin being the only one granted access and only then to bring them food and remove the trays. When they emerged the following morning they went about their duties as if nothing had happened and those who knew the truth took their cue from their monarchs, though the knights found some way to try and make it up to her. Leon was the first to approach her and given his history with her he had no hesitation in asking her directly, in his straightforward manner, for her forgiveness. She willingly gave it, having seen his hesitation in believing her betrayal, but knowing that what Arthur had seen was quite irrefutable he could do no more than believe it. Gwaine and Percival had the same idea of shyly asking forgiveness while presenting her with flowers. Gwaine brought her a few daisies and other wildflowers placed in water and using an old beat up ale tankard – identifying it as his favourite – as a vase. However, when he finally got around to giving it to her it was to find Percival already standing before her door with a large bouquet of peonies, her favourite flower, that he no doubt had to have begged the royal gardener for. Seeing that regardless of the sentimentality of the pseudo vase his offering looked shabby in comparison, Gwaine merely left it in front of the door and vowed to return with something to put Percival's gift to shame. The two spent the rest of the day trying to one-up the other until finally, when the royal chambers had no more room for flowers, did Guinevere thank them for their thoughtfulness and told them that she of course forgave them. Unsurprisingly it was Elyan who would have to work for her forgiveness. Her brother's actions having hurt her as they did she was not prepared to forgive him simply because he asked her to or brought her a few flowers.

"Gwen?" Elyan hesitantly asked as she passed him in the corridor, and considering it a good start that she stopped. "Gwen I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you-"

"Really?" She interrupted coldly. "Because I could have sworn that is exactly what you intended."

"You know I didn't mean to hurt you, Gwen. You're my sister and-"

"Oh so now you choose to remember I'm your sister! You've been doing a very good job these last months of pretending you had no sister."

"That's not fair, Gwen-"

"It is more than fair!" Her voice had risen and Elyan wasn't sure if that or the coldness in her eyes frightened him more. "I needed my brother. I needed someone who, regardless of what they believed to be the truth, stuck by me. Yet you, my own brother, abandoned me. Do you know how much that hurt? How much I needed my brother, only to have him decide I wasn't worthy of his support? How could you, Elyan? How could you abandon me so?"

"You were caught red handed! Or so we all believed!"

"And you didn't think to question it? You didn't think to come and ask me what happened? Or at the very least come tell me that no matter what I had done I was still your sister and you loved me? You did none of those things. Not a one. And you expect me just to forgive and forget as if it's no big deal?"

"You forgave everyone else!" He was getting frustrated and it was not the right time for such an emotion. "They believed it too and yet they come crawling with puny flowers and you forgive them easily!"

"I expected more from my brother! I expected my family to stand by me no matter what! Not abandon me and treat me with scorn, as if I was nothing but a common whore!"

"Oh knock it off Gwen! Enough is enough. Just say you forgive me and-"

"You forget yourself Sir Elyan!" She spoke on top of him, her eyes furious as she stood every inch the queen she was.

"What's going on here?" Leon called as he strode down the corridor towards them; neither would have been surprised if a passing servant had heard their Queen's raised voice and called the guard. "My lady is everything all right?" Seeing brother and sister standing confrontationally before each other he had a good idea what was going on, but had to ask.

"Quite, Leon. Sir Elyan merely forgot that it was his Queen to whom he spoke."

"Gwen-"

"Enough!" Leon ordered, pulling rank as First Knight, seeing that his Queen was not in the mood to deal with Elyan any longer. "You will remember to whom you speak, Sir Elyan. Do not forget again. Now, back to your duties, The Queen has clearly had enough of your presence." As Elyan moved passed him, Leon muttered too low for Guinevere to hear. "Give it time. She'll come around." Elyan wasn't so sure, having never seen his sister so angry with him, but he had no other choice.

oo00oo00oo

That evening the entire court was gathered for a feast that Arthur had call for with no warning; nor did he give any reason for it, only a handful knowing why their King felt like celebrating. The mood was joyful overall, though it did not go unnoticed that The Queen and her brother appeared at odds, and for a few short hours everything was perfect. It seemed though that fate was against them. That very evening during the feast word reached them that part of the lower town had caught on fire. The feast was quickly forgotten as Arthur led a large contingent of men to help, Guinevere insisting on coming as well to help where she could. They should have known it was a diversion, for no sooner were they fully immersed in putting the flames out did the alarm sound, announcing an attack. They raced back to the citadel and were met by the Southrons who engaged them in battle. Eventually it became clear that the force led against them was too large to hold off given they were already inside the gates and so retreating became the only option. Arthur, Guinevere and Merlin had managed to stay together during the fighting, largely because no matter the force he was facing Arthur would not let Guinevere out of his sight, while Merlin wouldn't let Arthur out of his. They narrowly avoided Morgana as she entered the citadel alongside Helios and Agravaine, whose treachery was only now fully established. Arthur wanted to kill his uncle when he saw him, but between Merlin and Guinevere was instead pulled away to where they could regroup with the others who had managed to retreat and had holed up inside The King's presence chamber.

"The citadel is overrun. We can't hold out much longer." Percival reported to his Queen given that Arthur was currently under Gaius's care, having been injured in battle. Of the knights only he and Gwaine were present. Elyan and Leon were unaccounted for though they refused to believe them dead.

"How long until they reach us?" She asked.

"Minutes at best."

"They're coming for Arthur." Merlin said. "If they find him, they'll kill him. You as well, Gwen."

"We must get them both to safety while we still can." Percival agreed.

"Arthur would never abandon his people." Gwaine added.

"Neither will I!" Guinevere tried to interrupt but it seemed that while they deferred to her as their Queen, she did not have a say in matters concerning her own protection.

"Barricade the doors. Give us as much time as you can." Merlin instructed and moved towards Arthur, pulling Guinevere along with him.

"Merlin-"

"Now is not the time to emulate Arthur, Gwen." He said. "You may not want to leave but you're rational enough to know that it is the only thing we can do. Either we leave and live to fight another day, or we die here tonight." With her options laid out before her so simply she realized that Merlin was right. They joined Gaius and Merlin asked quietly if there was a potion or something that could knock Arthur out for they had to get him to safety whether he liked it or not. Gaius replied that he didn't have anything strong enough, and his subtle emphasis on the word 'I' did not go unnoticed by Merlin, though Guinevere missed it being preoccupied with her husband.

"Arthur won't go willingly, but perhaps if he was to lose his will?" The physician muttered to Merlin who nodded. Under the guise of doing one last thing to treat Arthur, though he'd already done all he could, Gaius gave Merlin the cover he needed to cast his spell. Arthur seemed a bit dazed after, but otherwise it appeared as if nothing had happened.

"We need to leave now, Sire." Merlin put it to the test.

"Of course." He replied after a moment. If Guinevere, Gwaine and Percival found his response odd they decided not to question it.

"Then let's go while we can." Percival wrapped one of Arthur's arms around his shoulder, offering his injured King support. "We leave through the postern gate." Gwaine pushed Guinevere forward but he himself did not follow.

"I'll keep them off your back as long as I can." He said and though he didn't like it, Percival nodded, leading his King, Queen, and Merlin out of the citadel.

"Thank you, Percival." Arthur said sometime later when they were making their way through the woods.

"You can walk on your own?" Merlin wanted to make sure.

"Oh yes, just point me in the right direction!" A noise off to their left stopped Guinevere from questioning what was wrong with Arthur for he was not acting like himself. Percival readied for the threat and used his immense height and strength to his advantage when the person came around from the other side of a crop of trees; however, it was only Elyan, much to their relief. They continued on for a time, Elyan reporting that the way out of Camelot was safe, for now at least, and both knights knowing they had to get their monarchs out of Camelot before Morgana got her hands on them. Merlin suggested going to his home in Ealdor but Guinevere reminded him that Morgana knew of his home, and while it might not be the first place she'd look, she would eventually get there; for now their path was rather aimless, their only goal to get out of Camelot. Eventually Morgana's men did catch up with them, chasing them through the forest. They lost Percival along the way, though they did not believe him dead, while a little further along Elyan stayed behind to give them a chance. Finally it appeared that they had outrun those that chased them and were safe for now, Merlin coming to a sudden halt when he realized they didn't need to run any longer.

"Sorry, my fault!" Arthur said when he bumped into Merlin after he'd stopped suddenly. Both Guinevere and Merlin looked at him oddly but it was his next words, spoken after Merlin said they needed to find both him and Guinevere a disguise, that had her truly worried.

"Well whatever you say, I am entirely in your hands."

"Alright, Merlin, what is wrong with him?" Guinevere demanded. Not being able to tell her it was a spell, Merlin went with the next best thing.

"Gaius gave him some herbs. He knew we wouldn't be able to get him out of the citadel without doing something."

"But Gaius said he did not have any herbs to give him, didn't he?" Merlin thought fast, hoping that while Guinevere had heard that bit, she had not caught on to his magic.

"Gaius said he didn't have enough herbs to put Arthur to sleep. He did have something to addle his mind a little though. It's only temporary, I promise." She seemed to accept that explanation, much to Merlin's relief, and so they moved on.

A/N - Simpleton Arthur. I found that quite funny and well done in the show, don't know if I was the only one. Moving on to the end of Season 4 now, though still plenty to come! I've got 17 chapters written, and there's at least several more to go.

Review please!