A/N: Thank you very much Mediatrix (I'm glad you liked that part and you enjoyed finding out what happened 6 months ago), Impulse53669, ruby890, midnightdove, ForeverAllTheTime (I know what you mean - I'm glad I've managed to get across that it's more the hurt making Arthur act the way he is rather than the magic) and HarunoKasumi for all your wonderful reviews!

Next chapter, although it's only a short one - if I get enough reviews I'll update tomorrow! Lol, holding chapters to ransom!

Also, how great was tonight's episode?

A few days later Gwaine and Merlin arrived within sight of Nemeth's city walls. They had quickly picked up Arthur and the other knight's trail but had partly by design and party through only having one horse, remained at least one day behind them.

Travelling had been a quiet affair, it had started raining heavily the day before and neither man was in the mood to talk. Gwaine was unsure how much he wanted to question his friend and Merlin had not volunteered any information. In fact, mostly he slept, allowing the knight to lead the horse while he did so. His leg was getting worse but every once in a while he would clamp his hand over the wound and say something in a language Gwaine did not recognise and then drift off again.

Once he saw the city, he stopped and shook Merlin awake. "We're here."

The sorcerer looked at the city through the trees and nodded, sliding out the saddle, hissing in pain as he did. He covered his injury with his hand again and muttered something under his breath, almost immediately the pain on his face eased and he stood up straighter.

"What is that?" Gwaine asked, unable to stop himself asking this time.

"Hmm? Oh, it's a spell to help with the pain."

"Why don't you just heal it?" Gwaine paused and frowned, "You can do that with magic, right?"

Merlin laughed. "Yes. You can use magic to heal but...let's just say my talents lie elsewhere. I'm focusing on ignoring the pain."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to walk in through the front gate, sneak my way past the guards to the palace and find the stables."

"The stables?"

"Warm, dry and best of all, when Arthur decides to be a hero tomorrow and go out looking for this creature, he'll want his horse and I'll know exactly when he leaves."

"I'll try and bring you some food," Gwaine promised. "Just make sure you stay off that leg as much as possible."

"Thanks, Gwaine," Merlin said gratefully.

The knight climbed into the saddle and started heading towards Nemeth. Any lookouts would be expecting him to arrive on horseback, not walking, so Merlin would have to make his own way.

"Gwaine!" Merlin called, causing him to stop and look over his shoulder.

"Thank you for helping me. Thank you for not, you know..." the younger man trailed off and a waved a hand at the sword belted at Gwaine's waist.

"No need to thank me, Merlin," Gwaine laughed, kicking his heels back. "It would take a lot more than some magic to bother me!"

Once he had introduced himself, Gwaine was led through the palace to what turned out to be Gareth's throne room. His friends were all sat at a long table, whilst Nemeth's new king presided at its head. The tension in the air was obvious and both Arthur and Gareth looked frustrated and annoyed.

Elyan was the first out of his chair when Gwaine entered, crossing the distance in three long strides and holding out his hand. "Ah, nice to see you finally made it, Gwaine!" Elyan said. "We did wonder if you'd found a tavern somewhere and forgotten all about us."

"No," Gwaine replied with a laugh, enthusiastically shaking his friend's hand, "but it wasn't for lack of trying, believe me!"

The others gathered around at this point and there was much back-slapping and hand shaking, until Arthur appeared and told them to return to their seats. For a moment it looked like he too might offer to shake the knight's hand in welcome but the ghost of a smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

"How did it take so long for you to catch up with us?" he demanded, leaning in and lowering his voice. "It should have taken no more than a few hours."

"It took me longer than expected to find Gaius," Gwaine lied. "When I finally found him, I had to escort him back to Camelot."

"Is he all right?" Arthur asked grudgingly.

"Yes."

"Excuse me," interrupted Gareth from the other side of the room, "not that the tardy arrival of one of your knights is not cause for celebration, but do you think we could get back to our discussion."

"Of course," Arthur ground out, gesturing for Gwaine to sit. "Forgive me."

"Now tell me again why I should risk what few men I have on a fool's errand."

"Because," Arthur responded, taking a seat himself, "we came to help rid your land of this creature."

"And so you did," the foreign king admitted, taking a sip of wine. "Rode here in all your splendour to save poor, weak Nemeth. The great Knights of Camelot! Proud and noble to a man! Why then, pray tell, should the Knights of Nemeth ride with you to seek out this beast?"

It was at this point that Gwaine realised Gareth was drunk. Very drunk. "Looks like the good King has been enjoying a few too many," he muttered to Percival.

"Indeed I have, Sir Knight," Gareth said, ignoring whatever Arthur had just said to him and standing up, and leaning against the table. "And why shouldn't I? My father is dead, my kingdom lies on the brink of destruction, my sister is shunned by the very man who comes to 'save' me, and my allies forsake me. Do I not have good reason to drink?"

"We came to help you," Arthur growled, standing up himself, his voice carefully controlled.

"You? There are five of you! Do you honestly believe yourself so mighty, great King Arthur, that five of you can bring down what my entire army cannot even find?"

"Will you show us where the caves are tomorrow or not?" Arthur demanded, banging his hand on the table.

Gareth took another swig of wine and wave a hand carelessly in dismissal. "What is the point in seeking it out? If you wait, I'm sure it will come here again."

"I would rather find it and kill it away from the city. Do you not want to keep your people as safe as possible?"

The foreign king chuckled unpleasantly. "What does it matter? They are all dead, they just don't know it yet. If you wish to search about the caves, be my guest. I will have one of my men take you in the morning."

Clearly sickened by Gareth's attitude, Arthur stormed out of the throne room, followed closely by his men. Nemeth's king may have given up and forsaken his people, but Arthur would not.

A/N: Please review!