Thanks for your reviews everybody! Here's the next chapter.
Here we go!
Chapter 9: Growing shadows
"Arthur, you can't be serious! You're risking the safety of the kingdom! She's just a serving girl, Arthur! She will never make a queen" Agravaine said heatedly as Arthur told him the next morning.
Arthur looked at him blankly. But he pulled himself together immediately: "I wasn't asking you for your opinion, Uncle. I appreciate your advice on matters of the state, but this is not one of them."
"That is where you're wrong. Your father knew that for a strong kingdom it is necessary..."
"I am not my father! And I won't change my mind. I love Guinevere and I will make her my Queen. You better accept that, Uncle, or you will leave. Did I make myself clear enough?" Arthur interrupted him.
"Of course, Arthur. I'm sorry, I didn't want to offend you" Agravaine gave in.
Arthur inclined his head approvingly, signalling his uncle that he was allowed to leave which he did with an apparently submissive bow.
Agravaine did not only leave Arthur's chambers: He was riding straight to Morgana. As he had predicted, she was furious as he told her about the intended marriage.
"Arghh!" she screamed as she threw one of the chairs across the room. "Is it even so? Sweet, innocent Gwen finally found her Prince Charming? Oh how I hate them both. They have all the glory of my overthrow." Grabbing Agravaines at the throat, she added: "You have to cross that marriage. Camelot's throne is mine and mine alone! I will not allow that mangy serving girl to steal it from me!"
"I have tried to dissuade Arthur from it, but he won't listen. He loves her and swears he will marry her" Agravaine said meekly.
"Then you have to think of something" Alvarr chopped in. Agravaine mustered him coldly. It was no secret that he didn't trust him and that he envied him for the affection Morgana regarded him with. With a gesture, Morgana silenced them. Seeing her evil smirk, Agravaine asked expectantly: "What is it, Mylady? Do know how to prevent this marriage?"
"I wonder how much Arthur will love his little serving girl when he finds out about her disloyalty."
Agravaine raised his eyebrows sceptically: "Mylady, I don't understand..."
"Of course you don't. But our lovely upstart has a secret. A former love that must be renewed. This task lies in your hand, Agravaine. Do not fail me again" Morgana said threateningly.
Arthur stood at the Round Table while his knights sat at their places looking at him expectantly. Merlin stood a little off, just behind Arthur.
"Dear friends, you probably wonder why I have called you to this meeting" he started but was interrupted by Gwaine.
"If we were to wonder about the reasons why you do things, we would hardly have the time to do anything else."
Arthur joined in the laughter, but composed himself again almost immediately. "Thanks, Gwaine for your contribution. But I do indeed have a reason for this meeting. I have decided to marry."
"Well, it was about time, wasn't it? Probably your last chance to pull somebody, eh?" Gwaine threw in.
"Who's the lucky one, Sire?" Elyan asked jovially.
Instead of an answer, Arthur signalled the guards to open the door to the throne room. As they did, Gwen walked in. She was wearing a pale blue silk dress with flower embroidery. The room fell silent but then broke into loud applause and jubilation. Everybody liked Gwen for her kindness and they knew she would make a good Queen. Overwhelmed by their warm welcome, Gwen walked past the knights and Arthur offered her the seat to his left. He looked at her with a loving look in his eyes which showed clearly how happy he was with her.
Sir Leon was the first to offer his congratulations. Raising the cup before him he said: "Arthur, Gwen, I want to wish you all the very best for your marriage. I know nobody who deserves to be as happy as you two! To Arthur and his lovely bride!"
The toast was taken up by the others.
Next up was Lancelot: "Arthur, Guinevere, may your love always be as strong as it is today. I wish you joy with all my heart. To Arthur and Guinevere!"
"Arthur, I'll be brief. If you ever hurt her, then king or not, I'll make sure you pay for that. So treat her well" Elyan said and though he said it with a laugh Arthur knew he meant it.
One by one every knight offered their congratulations to the happy couple.
"Thank you, my friends. Guinevere and I thank you for your kind wishes" Arthur said joyfully. Gwen smiled graciously although she couldn't hide her nervousness.
Later after the council had been dismissed, Lancelot wandered alone around the castle. He shunned the company of his fellow knights. He needed time on his own to think. He had known that this day would come and he tried to work out how he felt about it. He hadn't come to terms with it yet. A tide of conflicting emotions had gripped him more vehemently than ever before. Arthur was his king; Arthur had made him his knight although he lacked the nobility of birth; and above all, Arthur was his friends. And Lancelot really tried to be happy about it for Arthur's sake; and yet, all this time since he had returned after the events of over a year ago, a feeling had been nagging at his resolution to give up on Gwen. He still loved her; he always had but he hadn't wanted to stand between them. And now he would lose her for good; not that there had been anything to lose in the first place but with the impending marriage he couldn't abide even his innermost hopes that maybe someday somehow they would be together. His thoughts were running round in circles reaching no satisfying conclusion. He stopped the gallery and leaned the back of his head against the wall. Heaving a sigh, he closed his eyes and tried to shut out the world.
"You think he is making a mistake, don't you?" a voice broke into his thoughts.
Reluctantly, Lancelot opened his eyes and turned to face the intruder.
"Lord Agravaine" he said simply. Somehow he wasn't surprised that it was him. Immediately, he was on full alert. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"I bet you do. Lancelot, you are one of Arthur's closest friends. He would listen to you if you tried to dissuade him from his intend to marry Gwen" Agravaine said smoothly.
"Why should I want that?"
"Don't get me wrong, Lancelot. She is a charming young woman but let's be honest, she cannot become Queen of Camelot. That is impossible."
"Why? Because she's not of noble blood?" Lancelot asked provocatively.
"Well, yes. It is one thing to knight commoners, a practice my late brother-in-law would have never allowed. But to have a serving girl as our queen? Arthur's love makes him blind for the ruin he is leading us into."
"Guinevere is so much more than a serving girl. She is the most kind-hearted, honest and caring woman I have ever met. She loves Arthur and she will make an excellent queen. I won't help you, Mylord. Good day" Lancelot said decidedly and turned to leave.
"So you give up on her just like that?" Agravaine asked.
"Pardon?" Against his will, Lancelot stopped.
"You'll give her up like you have done before, haven't you? She would be yours if you hadn't walked away at that day in the forest. You know this is true. Why concede her to Arthur? Haven't you loved her since the moment you saw her the day you arrived in Camelot? And vice versa? Can't you see, Lancelot? You two belong together."
"What you are saying is very close to treason. I would be careful if I were you, Mylord" he said the last words contemptuously.
"Whom do you think Arthur would be more prepared to believe? A mangy knight who is in love with his fiancé or his trusted uncle?"
"Who do you think, Uncle?" Arthur stepped out of the shadow of one of the pillars. He folded his arms and looked coldly at his uncle. Merlin and some of the knights were standing behind him.
"Arthur, let me explain... I wanted..." Agravaine was thinking on his feet.
"Don't bother, Uncle. I have heard enough." He gave a brief nod to the knights who went and grabbed Agravaine at his arms.
"You are arrested under the suspicion of treason. Lock him up" Arthur said grimly.
"Arthur, wait. Please, you are making a big mistake..." Agravaine stammered while the knights were dragging him away down to the dungeons.
"I'm sorry, Arthur" Merlin said sadly. He knew that Arthur had had to know but he also knew that he would take to it very badly.
"Thank you, Merlin. You were right to show me" Arthur said. It sounded resigned.
"There is one thing, Arthur, that worries me. How could he know about what happened in the forest? There's only one person who could have told him that" Lancelot said pensively.
Arthur snorted contemptuously: "Morgana." Of course, he thought, it's always her. "That means he's the traitor. He has told her about the route we were taking when Merlin was captured. He helped Morgana to kill my father. And then he tried to shift the suspicion on Gaius. I have been so blind, I guess. Because he is my uncle. Because of that I didn't see him for who he really is. But you did." He shook his head disbelieving. Then he turned and stormed off angrily.
"So he finally knows. That's good" Merlin said relieved. He had pondered the question how he could exposed Agravaine's betrayal to Arthur to prevent Morgana from taking Camelot again.
"Yes, though Agravaine was right about one thing" Lancelot mused. Before Merlin could ask him what that was, he too walked off.
Merlin shook his head worriedly and watched his friend leave.
Arthur was standing in front of the assembled court of Camelot next to Geoffrey who was going to perform the ceremony. The hall was beautifully decorated and everybody was dressed in their finest garments. Then the doors opened and Gwen walked in. She wore a cream silk gown with wide sleeves and delicate silver embroidery. Her auburn hair was pinned up with white flowers. As she walked up the aisle, she looked at Arthur who smiled at her affectionately. Finally, she reached him and stood to face him. Geoffrey took their right hands and laid them together.
"My lords, ladies, and gentlemen of Camelot, we are gathered here today to celebrate the ancient rite of hand-fasting, the union of King Arthur Pendragon and Lady Guinevere of Camelot. Is it your wish, Arthur, to become one with this woman?"
"Yes, it is."
"Is it your wish, Guinevere, to become one with this man?"
"Yes, it is."
"So in accordance with the ancient rites of Camelot" Geoffrey took a white ribbon from a page and wrapped it around their enjoined hands, "I join you in the sacred bond of marriage." Arthur bend forward to kiss Gwen, as the doors flung open again. A guard entered and said breathlessly: "Sire, Lord Agravaine is fled and an army is marching against Camelot. It seems he opened the gates to them. Morgana is leading them into the city as we speak."
So, this was only a short intermezzo before we come to the great battle for Camelot. It will be a long chapter (probably two long chapters). I've written about a quarter already, but it'll take some time. So bear with me!