Warning for mentions of attempted of Rape/Non-Con in this chapter/part.

In Gaius' Chambers, Gaius greets an awakened Sir Ewan with a, "Welcome back."

Almost frantic with worry, Ewan garbled out, "There was a snake on his shield. It came alive."

Nodding grimly, Gaius caringly told the noble, righteous Knight, "You're weak. The snake's venom is still in your system."

"I must warn Arthur.", bit out Ewan, staying stubborn due to his loyalty.

Sighing internally at this boy's annoying stubbornness, I tell him, "Arthur already knows. He's requested an audience with the King. Now, they'll want to talk to you. Rest. You'll need your strength. I need to fetch more herbs. I'll be right back."

A few moments after Gaius waddles out of the room, a snake menacingly slithers to Ewan's bed and strikes him to his horrific demise.

Meanwhile, in the Council Chambers, the key nobles of Camelot's Courts are gathered. Matilda herself stands beside Leon, looking slightly disgruntled to Leon's bafflement.

Curious, Uther asks his son, "Why have you summoned the court?"

With a faked air of confidence, Arthur accuses loudly, soundly and clearly, "I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament." This led the nobles into exchanging mutterings and disbelieving looks, while Matilda emitted an uncharacteristic scoff, leading Leon to nudge her due worry, and ask, "Are you okay, Matilda? You are acting quite unlike yourself." To his confusion, his discreet, secret crush ignored him for the first time, looking peeved.

"Valiant, what do you have to say to this?", Uther questioned.

Smiling innocently, Valiant vehemently protested believingly, "My Lord, this is ridiculous. I've never used magic. Does your son have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?"

Various tittering members of court verbally wondered too as Uther resoundingly interrogated, "Do you have evidence?"

Nodding courageously, Arthur confirmed he did so with a simple, authoritative, "I do."

Matilda rolled her eyes with unrestrained frustration as her son timidly hands Uther the snake head.

However, at this very moment, a surprised Court Physician had stumbled back to a mauled Knight of Camelot.

"Let me see this shield.", commanded Uther to his son.

After Arthur briskly hands his father the accursed sword, Merlin thoughtfully whispers to his brother, "Don't let him get too close."

This causes Arthur to warn, "Be careful, My Lord.", just as Gaius enters the runic room.

Matilda, being the ever-alert, ever-devious beauty, notices that Gaius came alone, with no Sir Ewan. Arthur notices this too, as he quietly tells his manservant, "We need Ewan. Find out what's happening."

Vile Valiant, as smarmy as always, arrogantly goads as Uther inspects his sly shield, "As you can see, My Lord, it's just an ordinary shield."

Barely sealing a snort of disdain, Arthur argues, "He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive."

Fully frustrated, Uther snarls out, "Then how am I to know that what you say is true?"

"I have a witness.", The court went pin-drop silent as the Prince continued, slightly smirking at his little victory, " Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom made him grievously ill, however, he has received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic."

"Well then, your highness- where is this witness?" questioned Matilda, stepping forwards to stand beside the King, throwing an incredulous look of someone who clearly disbelieves to the perplexed members of Court. Merlin cocked his head to the side in confusion at the Duchess' actions.

"He should be here…", trailed off Arthur, grasping at straws. Turning to face Gaius and Merlin, he questions crossly, "Where's Ewan?"

Sadly, Merlin says deadpanly, "He's dead."

"I'm waiting!", shouts out Uther impatiently, like a child, staring metaphorical daggers at his one and only son's untucked back.

Eyes wide, Arthur turned around and directly told his father, and in extension, indirectly told the rest of the court that Sir Ewan, the witness, had unfortunately passed.

Hearing this, Matilda inconspicuously swallowed as grief fell upon her, being hit with the dead of the young boy, who- in his youth, used to always sneak into his chambers for a bite of chocolate and pie. However, she ashamedly acknowledged with unrestrained glee that the venom does kill, and will most likely kill the unpredictable Prince of Camelot.

Sighing disappointedly, Uther notes, "So you have no proof to support these allegations.", then, trying to help his beloved flesh and blood save face, so to speak, Uther threw the distant lifeline, "Have you seen Valiant using magic?"

Looking down in defeat, Arthur tries, "No. But my servant fought one of the snakes from…"

Standing up in bigoted fury, the tyrannical King exclaimed, "Your servant? You made these outrageous accusations against a knight on the word of your servant?"

Matilda and Arthur both narrow their eyes in anger before Arthur defends, "I believe he's telling the truth!"

"My Lord," , starts Valiant, looking victorious, ", Am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a boy?"

Matilda's fists curled at her embroidered sides in almost restrained wrath, as her son cries out, "I've seen those snakes come alive!"

Displeased, Uther commands, "How dare you interrupt?! Guards!"

As the Guards begin to take Merlin away, his mother jumps into action: "Your majesty, please- the boy may be foolish, but your son would not be here today if it was not for the boy. Please, your benevolence- grant lenience to the harmless fool."

Uther turns to stare at his beloved- not that she herself knew how highly he regarded her- and a guarded look passed his countenance before he looked at Matilda openly with a unknown sweet expression, lost in his lover's boldness, completing forgetting that Matilda and himself were not in his royal bedchambers.

"My Lord.", Valiant's words broke the starved King out of his thoughts, causing the King to command a "Wait!" to the guards, and then nod for Valiant to continue, "I'm sure he was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want him punished on my account."

"You see? This is how a true knight behaves - with gallantry and honour." , the King goaded the Prince wrongly, as Matilda openly scoffed, causing Uther to glance at his life-long lover in mild concern. What Uther didn't know was that Valiant was classed as a smarmy, creepy git in Matilda's mind. Just last night, she caught the traitorous knight attempting to force himself on a sweet maid, Rhoslyn. Matilda shuddered in dire disgust as she reflected that she had stumbled on the atrocity just in time to stop it. "Oh," , Matilda thought, "There is nothing at all gallant or honourable about Valiant."

"My Lord, if your son made these accusations because he's afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawal.", slyly mentioned Valiant.

Vexed at the possibility that his own son was afraid, Uther fired out: " Is this true? Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?"

Indignant, Arthur tried to preserve his falling reputation among the court with an honest, "No!"

Regardless, the Court transparently did not believe the Prince of Camelot, nor did the King of Camelot. Dismayed, the elder Pendragon asked scathingly, "Then what am I to make of these allegations?"

Subdued, Arthur relents, "Obviously there has been a misunderstanding. I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology."

"Accepted.", Valiant sneered.

Sorry about the short chapters/ updates… it's been all exams for me for the past month, and will be until the end of this month. I'll still update regularly though.

:)

In the next part, Matilda and Arthur are going to have a mind- boggling chat.

Rhoslyn: derives from Welsh and means lovely rose or rose valley.

We'll be seeing much more of Rhoslyn in the future.

;)