This Chapter has reference to Episodes 3 and 5 of Series 4

Chapter 18

Much to Rowen's dismay she was seated between Uther and Agravaine during Arthur's birthday celebrations. The king had escorted her into the hall, on his arm, and received many well wishes and happy greetings from his people. He looked delighted and relaxed which made everyone's hearts swell.

Rowen couldn't help but laugh as Arthur lapped up the attention throughout the night. He was like an excited puppy receiving everyone's affection.

By the end of the night, he was both delighted and very drunk. Merlin looked torn between being amused and exasperated as he hauled Arthur from the room very late that night, or perhaps early the next morning.

Gwen was helping Uther up from his throne kindly so Rowen made her way over, "Come on, Sire. Time for bed."

Gwen looked at her gratefully and together, the girls practically manhandled they man to his feet. In the end, it took Percival and Leon to help them return the king to his room. Rowen thanked the knights and said to Gwen, "You go to bed, Guinevere. I'll sort him out tonight."

For once, Gwen didn't protest, only smiling appreciatively and leaving.

"Why don't you sit down, sire? Have a drink of water and I'll prepare your bed."

Uther nodded slowly, "Where is Arthur?"

"He's gone to bed, Sire," she said from the other side of the room, "Did you have a good evening?"

"Yes," he said thoughtfully, "It was most enjoyable."

"Arthur was delighted that you were there," Rowen said, "You made him-"

But the king interrupted, "I have not been good to you."

"Sire?" Rowen picked up a pillow and began beating it to make it softer.

"I did not love you as I should have. I should have honoured your father."

"It's alright, sire. You needn't think of these things now. You have had a lovely evening."

"I should have thought of them long ago," Uther muttered. He turned slightly in his seat, "Can you- can you forgive me?"

"Of course, sire. There is nothing to forgive," Rowen smiled at him as warmly as she could, "You just relax, sire. I will get you your nightclothes."

She crossed to the very far side of the king's chambers and began searching through his cupboard. While she was there, she heard the door open and a soft, familiar call of, "Father?"

She smiled. Of course Arthur wouldn't go to bed without seeing his father. She faintly heard the door open again and, presuming it was just Merlin making sure Arthur didn't do anything in his drunken state, she continued to find the king's nightwear. When she made to return to them, however, she was horrified to see one of the evening's entertainers holding a sword to Arthur's back.

"Guards!" the prince yelled.

Rowen dropped the stack of clothes and ran to the door, expecting for there to be guards positioned outside. She gasped when all she was met with were dead bodies. She was torn. Rowen wasted a few seconds, deciding on what to do. Finally, she figured Arthur would hold the attacker off at least for a while so she could get help and she fled.

"Where is everyone?" she practically growled as she ran. Everywhere she passed where there should have been a guard, there was only an empty space or a dead body. Finally, she came across Merlin who was walking through the corridors as if he had lost something.

"Rowen," he grinned, "Have you seen Arth- woah!"

Rowen grabbed his hand and pulled him along straight back to Uther's chambers.

"What's going-" they both froze in the doorway. Merlin's face paled at the sight of Merlin cradling his father's body, "Get Gaius," he said quietly, "Now!"

"I'm going to kill him!" Arthur roared.

The king was dead. Arthur was destroyed and, thankfully, Merlin was not in the room when Arthur announced his servant's death sentence.

"I know it was him! He's too stupid to hide himself properly! He killed him! He killed my- I'll, I'll, I'm going to-"

Arthur fell to his knees in front of Rowen. Both of them were sobbing openly, eyes red and puffy.

"I'll kill him," Arthur muttered.

"Arthur," Rowen sniffed, "It wasn't his fault. He tried."

Gaius had been sent for, and only Rowen and Arthur were in the room with the king's body. Rowen had coming running after hearing a commotion. She knew what Merlin had been planning to do and had positioned herself nearby, just in case.

"He's dead," Arthur sobbed, "He's dead. Merlin killed him. I killed him. Magic-"

"Merlin didn't mean to do this, Arthur," Rowen wrapped her arms around the prince's shaking shoulders, "Merlin would never-"

"It seems magic can't do good after all."

"Arthur, don't-"

"It was working," Arthur said, "It so nearly worked. He was alive and awake. Smiling and happy. And Merlin, he looked so proud. So relieved. But then- Rowen, I've never seen a man in such pain. And he was gone. Just like that. We were so close."

"I know, Arthur. I know."

"No," he cried, "You don't. I was so angry. I nearly ran him through on the spot. I nearly lost both of them."

"It's alright."

"It's not. Father's dead and I tried to kill Merlin."

He was completely inconsolable. Arthur's words didn't make any sense and he seemed to be flitting through so many emotions so quickly, even he didn't know what to think of them all. Rowen shakily got to her feet and walked over to the bed to pay respects to the king.

"Arthur? What is this?"

Still sniffling, Arthur managed to pull himself to his feet and stumbled over to her side. She was pointing at a golden chain which was engraved with runic lettering.

"It's enchanted," Arthur said, "No matter what Merlin did, it was doomed anyway. He was doomed. It was this necklace that killed him, wasn't it? That's why Merlin's spell worked to begin with. Merlin saved him only for him to be killed again straight away."

Rowen nodded and dissolved into tears.

"Who would do such a thing?" Arthur cried out.

Rowen couldn't answer, only shaking her head and trying to control herself. The door opened with a bang and Gaius practically ran in, Gwen by his side.

He didn't need to confirm it. Everyone knew. But, a few moments later, Gaius looked up, "I'm sorry Arthur. The king is dead."

When Merlin joined them, already looking distraught, Rowen tensed slightly, still not entirely trusting Arthur not to have his servant executed. But the prince just looked at him sadly with wet eyes. Clearly something in the servant's dishevelled appearance and devastated look told Arthur enough.

Gaius led Merlin away silently and then Rowen took Arthur's hand, "Let's go somewhere else."

They stood on the battlements, looking out over Camelot at night. The kingdom which would soon belong to Arthur.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur."

"It's my fault," he said sadly, "I just wanted to help him, but I killed him."

"No, Arthur. He was dying anyway. You at least stopped him suffering. Even if that was not what you intended."

"He was right about magic. That necklace he was wearing, it killed him. What if magic is evil after all and my father is right all along?"

"But Merlin-"

"I don't mean Merlin," Arthur sighed, "Merlin's different. But because of magic's evil in that enchantment, my father is dead. I have lost both of my parents to magic."

"Arthur. Surely Merlin is proof that-"

"I don't care about Merlin!" Arthur shouted, "This isn't about Merlin. This is about my father. He died because I didn't listen to him. Don't you understand how many people I have lost to magic? My mother, Morgana, my father. Magic corrupts and it kills. What if I lose Merlin too?"

"I don't understand."

"You tell me I need Merlin to become a great king. What if his magic leads to his betrayal? Just like Morgana. Or, even worse, what if it leads to his death? Just like my father."

"That won't happen. You are destined to be by one another's side," Rowen told him, "He would never leave you. Not for anything."

Arthur looked up, suddenly very determined, "I can't let it happen," he said as if he hadn't even heard her speak, "I need him. I can't lose him to magic. Not him as well."

"Arthur, you're not making any sense."

"It doesn't matter," he took a deep breath, "There are things I need to attend to."

"No one's going to rush you. If you need more time-"

"No. I have to be strong. For father's sake."

"You don't have to be anything."

"I want to be."

"Arthur, before you go, can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

"Your father apologised to me. After your birthday feast, when I was attending to him in his chambers, he told me how sorry he was for how he treated me. He felt so bad Arthur. I just wanted to tell you- he was a good man. And I'm sorry."

Arthur smiled appreciatively, "Thank you. I'm sorry too."

"Oh, Arthur."

The prince crumbled into tears once again and all Rowen could do was cry with him.

A few hours later, Rowen was walking through the corridors, deep in thought when she stumbled across a small figure, curled up against the wall,

"Merlin."

He looked up slowly, the pain and guilt in his eyes clear form any distance, despite the darkness.

"What happened?" she asked sadly.

"Morgana," he mumbled sadly.

"Morgana? What do you mean?"

"There was a necklace," Merlin explained and Rowen tried to act as if she didn't already know this, "It was enchanted so that my healing magic backfired. I couldn't have helped him at all. I killed the king."

"You couldn't have known," Rowen sat down next to him, "You were trying to help."

"I made everything worse. Arthur will never accept magic now. He told me before. He said he hates it, that it's evil."

"Oh, Merlin. I'm so sorry."

They sat together silently for a while before she asked, "Why are you sitting out here alone?"

"I'm waiting for Arthur," Merlin nodded to the door next to them, "He's saying goodbye."

"You're a good man, Merlin. Don't forget that. And don't make yourself ill by staying out here too long."

"It's nearly a new day," Merlin said dismissively, "He won't be long."

Rowen smiled and got to her feet, walking away without a word.

"Long live the King!"

"What is wrong with you?" Rowen asked Arthur as she burst into his chambers.

"Nice to see you too," the king muttered.

"You killed Caerleon," she said, "Why?"

Arthur sighed, "He didn't agree to our terms. He had to be taught a lesson."

"They've declared war," she told him.

"Yes."

Rowen sighed, "And why is it Guinevere is walking around the castle looking like she's had her heart broken?"

"Rowen, you should go back to bed. It's very early."

"Funny, it's difficult to sleep when your kingdom's army is going out to fight in war and you don't know what's going to happen. Remind me how this started again?"

"Rowen," he growled.

"Since when has Agravaine's word meant more to you than ours? Everything he's telling you is utter rubbish!" she shouted.

"You don't understand anything about what it's like."

She scoffed, "When your father was king and he did something you didn't approve of, you would speak up. That's exactly what I'm doing."

"I had to do something!"

"No, you didn't! When are you going to learn to listen?"

"Listen! Listen to who?"

"Us! Me! Merlin! Gwen, Gaius, yourself! Is our counsel not good enough?"

"Agravaine is older and much more experienced in these matters."

"Is he? Tell me, what experience does he have of leading a kingdom? Might I remind you that when we were out fighting the Dorocha and he was left in charge, he closed the gates to the city and rejected the people who really needed help."

"They were opened again," Arthur said tiredly.

"Because Guinevere spoke out and got it fixed. You don't need him to make your own decisions, Arthur. Because if you had listened to yourself, we would be at peace with Caerleon and Gwen would not be crying her eyes out because of your idiocy. And you would feel a lot better, too."

"It's not about what makes me feel happy. It's about what's good for Camelot."

"And being at war is good for Camelot, is it?"

"I had to show strength."

"We all know you're strong, Arthur. You don't need to prove yourself. Just next time, maybe listen to advice that actually makes sense. You can trust us."

"It's my kingdom and my responsibility."

"That doesn't mean you can't ask for advice anymore. You always used to listen to us."

"That was before I had an entire kingdom to look after."

"Right," she rolled her eyes, "Good luck."

She watched the army leave from the window with Gwen and Gaius.

"Don't worry, Gwen. He'll be back soon, I'm sure."

"It's different this time though, isn't it? Arthur's King now. The fate of Camelot rests on his shoulders alone."

"He's not alone, Gwen. You above all people should know that."

"We might know it," Rowen said, "But I'm not sure Arthur does. He won't take advice from anyone anymore. He thinks he has to make every decision by himself."

There was nothing to say to that. The three just watched as the knights left in perfect formation.

It was an anxious few days in Camelot. There weren't any pressing issues to deal with while the king was away, but any small matter that came to the court's attention was dealt with by Rowen, Gwen and Gaius easily enough. When a messenger burst into the council chambers, silence fell in the room and they looked to him

"What is it?" Rowen asked.

"The king is returning, my Lady. The battle has been won and-"

"What?"

"Not a single life was lost," the messenger said, "From either army."

Rowen smiled at Gwen brightly, "Thank you," she turned to a nearby guard, "Prepare the castle for the king's return."