Jaya froze mid-swing and slowly dropped her fist, keeping it clenched by her side. She was breathing a little harder than she probably would have normally after the same amount of sparring with the bag or Arthur himself, though it wasn't surprising since she was so obviously angry.

Arthur waited with his hand on her shoulder until she slowly let her hands drop out of the fists that they had been clenched in. "I'm sorry."

Jaya's eyes slid across to look at him. "You don't have to be. It's not your fault." She sighed heavily and gestured to Barret, who was lying on the ground holding his face in both his hands, muffling the sobs that were coming out of him. "You can't control what he's going to say." She physically shook her shoulders and then looked up at the other boys that were staring first at Barret and then up at Jaya. "And that, Lads, is how you fight like a girl." She announced, looking at them sternly.

They all looked at her wide-eyed and nodded slowly to show that they understood.

"You...You beat that kid bloody…" Gwaine stared at her for a moment like he had never seen her before.

Jaya took a long breath and licked her lips. "I did. I'm not proud of it."

"That's not like you at all. You're so...in control of your emotions." Gwaine protested.

"I was younger then." Jaya frowned and stirred her coffee in a thoughtfully. "And I've had centuries to practice my temper control." she glanced at him and tilted her head. "What? What is that face?"

Gwaine half shook himself. "It's nothing. I just...it's so strange to me that I feel so strongly that you're not the type of person to beat the living daylights out of a teenage boy and yet I only met you yesterday."

"This time." Jaya shrugged.

"Right. This time." Gwaine dipped his head. "What happened."

"I got myself into a lot of trouble." Jaya shrugged.

"No. I mean...why did you do that?"

"Beat him? Why'd you come unhinged on his face?"

"He insulted my mother." Jaya shrugged, the regret in her tone edged a little harder. "No one insulted my mother."

Gwaine nodded deeply, completely understanding the thought behind it. "Sure."

"And it was on a bad day, I was angry that I was still in Camelot, angry that I couldn't do half the fight training that I was used to doing...all of it. Unfortunately for him-"

"Straw that broke the camel's back." Gwaine assumed.

Jaya nodded. "He told me later it was the best thing that ever happened to him, and forgave me, but...I've never forgiven myself for it."

Gwaine grunted. "So. You got in trouble."

"Big Trouble." Jaya scoffed.

Arthur watched as Jaya stepped out from under his hand to crouch down next to Barret. There was a small part of him that regretted pulling her away from the bag to come and deal with the young boy. He was just a kid with a smart mouth, and obviously something had been bothering her when he walked up. Her usual happy spark had been somewhat dimmed. And now he was starting to wonder what she was going to do now. As much as he hated to admit to himself there was a small part of him that had been startled and slightly afraid-no taken aback-by how mean she had suddenly gotten. He had gotten a little glimpse into the fighting he was sure she did on a regular basis back home, and he was glad that he had never thought to insult her so terribly.

Jaya crouched down and laid a hand on Barret's shoulder, the white cotton that wrapped her knuckles stained with blood spots. She frowned and the muscles in her jaw worked as Barret flinched and half-rolled away from her. "C'mon, Laddy. Let's get you to Gaius. It appears I made sure that visit was necessary." Her voice had more apology in it than the boys standing around her had expected.

Barret glared at her around his fingers. "Go away!" he snarled.

Jaya looked at Arthur.

Merlin wasn't sure what question she was asking but it had to be something along the lines of if she was allowed to get up and walk away after all the damage she had done to him.

Arthur obviously thought along the same lines because he nodded once and stepped forward next to her. "It's all right, Jaya. I'll send one of the other boys with him. Go ahead and get cleaned up." He waited until Jaya had stood up and started back to the castle before crouching down next to the young squire, who had just sat up.

"I demand she be punished to the fullest extent, M'Lord!" He informed, doing his best to sound imperial despite the tears that were just starting to fade off his face.

Arthur shook his head. "Do you want to know who that is, Barret?" he asked. "I don't care if you do or not. Her name is Jaya Ó Caiside. Her father is the King of Ireland and a close ally of Camelot. And you just insulted her mother on the highest level. You will go to Gaius, and once he has patched you up, you will make a formal apology to the Princess. And if I find out you haven't-" Arthur let the threat hang in the air and stood up and started away from the training grounds. "Come along, Merlin. There's chainmail to be cleaned! There's no time to be lazing around and sitting still!"

Merlin groaned just under his breath and followed after Arthur dutifully. So much for having an easier day...

It was well after dark when Merlin finally stumbled into Gaius' chambers.

Gaius turned from where he was bent over the table. "Long day?" he asked.

"It was squire training day today. Arthur's always in a bad mood when he has to train the squires." Merlin shrugged, shrugging out of his jacket. He tossed it at the peg on the wall and smiled brightly when it caught and hung.

"I guess Jaya had quite an impression on the squires today." Gaius agreed.

"He deserved that. You should have heard the awful thing he called Jaya's mother." Merlin defended walking over and sitting down at the table.

"I don't doubt it." Gaius shook his head slightly. "She stopped by while I was still putting him back together. He was less than nice to her then as well."

"He's lucky she stopped when Arthur told her to." Merlin shrugged.

Gaius made a noncommittal noise and set down one of the plates he was holding in front of Merlin.

Merlin smiled and then looked down at it. His head snapped back up. "This fish didn't come from the water, did it?" he asked.

"Of course not. I found it while gathering herbs in the forest. Which, incidentally is what I keep you around for." Gaius needled, his eyebrow raising slightly.

Merlin started to take a breath and then dropped his chin and narrowed his eyes. "Right."

"The water's fine now. Nothing to fear now. This is the work of a very powerful sorcerer. I only hope you didn't come to her attention."

"Doubt it." Merlin muttered around a mouthful of greens. When he saw the look on Gaius' face he swallowed. "Well, no one besides Jaya seems to appreciate my skills. I just wish more people would appreciate me for who I am."

"One day, Merlin. One day." Gaius assured.

"One day what?" Merlin asked.

"People won't believe what an idiot you were." Gaius intoned with a smirk.

"Thanks." Merlin nodded sarcastically and took another bite.

Halfway up the coast of Albion, a handful of days ride on a swift horse away, there was an island that rose out of the mist that gathered over the too-still water. The remains of a great castle stood on the island that was a few leagues into the dark water. Magic had built the castle-magic held it in place still. Under the castle there were deep, rocky caverns. It was in one of these caverns that a woman who looked to be in her early thirties stood. Her dark curls were piled on her head and spilled over to brush against her shoulders. Her piercing blue eyes looked down intently at the bowl that was carved into the base of what used to be a large stalagmite. Her pale hands gripped the roughly rounded edges of the basin that was filled with water. But instead of seeing her reflection in the silvery half-light that glowed around her, she was watching something else.

He was a young boy. He couldn't have been more than twenty. Sitting across from the physician-what was his name? Gaius! That's right. Gaius must have a new apprentice.

The corners of her eyes twitched as she watched the boy with shaggy black hair and ears that were almost too big, look askance at the fish that was on the plate in front of him. He was the reason that her Afanc was no more?! How?! She watched as the two men toasted each other and clinked their glasses together.

"Merlin. Oh. You will pay!" she hissed. With a small squeal of anger her right fist smashed down on the image.

Water splashed out of the basin and up her bare arm. But she didn't hardly feel it. She flung water droplets off her fingers and glared.

Nimueh was angry.

"Jaya. A word."

Jaya froze, her left hand full of the cotton that she was unwrapping from her right knuckles. That would be the King. And he didn't sound pleased. Jaya paused for a split second longer wondering if the King was ever pleased. But when she turned around she had a smile on her face. "Yes M'Lord?"

"This way." Uther gestured for her to step into the empty council chambers.

Jaya risked a distrusting glance and then stepped into the room. "What is it, Sire."

Uther swept the sides of his black padded coat back and placed his hands on his hips. "Jaya I need you to do something for me." Uther started, sounding like every shred of his patience had been used up before he even talked to her.

Jaya nodded, mindlessly continuing to unwrap her right knuckles.

"Have you ever heard of Lord Bayard?" he asked, looking at her sternly.

Jaya's lips slid to the side and she shook her head slowly. "I'm afraid I have not M'Lord." She informed him, her voice soft. She had no idea what Uther was trying to make a point about, but she had the distinct feeling that she wasn't going to like it.

"He is the ruler of Mercia. And a very fickle man." Uther almost spat the words out.

Ahh. Now it made sense. He wasn't upset with her so much as he was with this Lord Bayard character that he wondered if she knew. "I see." Jaya did her best to keep on her best behavior, no reason to set him off more.

"And he's coming here to Camelot to seek peace." Uther continued looking at her pointedly.

"That's wonderful news, Sire." Jaya smiled.

"And I don't want anything or anyone to waylay those talks."

Aha. There was the rest of it. He wanted her to behave...in other words, act like what a princess was expected to act like. "I shall be on my best behavior, Sire." She assured.

"I don't want your best behavior, Jaya. I want a Princess's best behavior. Do I make myself clear?" Uther looked at her sternly, his brows knit together and anger hiding just behind his eyes.

Gwaine's mouth dropped open. "Oooooooooooooo...burn from Father Pendragon."

Jaya's shoulders dropped slightly and she looked at Gwaine like he was trying her patience. "Yes. Ha. Ha. Very funny."

Gwaine sniggered into his coffee mug.

Jaya swallowed slightly and the muscles in her jaw worked. That seemed a little much to her, actually a lot much. It was like he thought she was incapable of behaving in a way that wouldn't appear completely insulting her family name. "Yes, Sire."

"And when I say that, I mean no more squire beatings."

Ah. Yes. She should have known that would get to him by now. She did feel bad about that. She had let herself get out of hand. The poor boy had reacted like she was going to kill him when she had popped in by Gaius to see how much damage she had done. "Yes, Sire. I'm sorry, Sire." She nodded and quickly made eye contact so he knew that she was serious.

Uther looked at her and pursed his lips. "I know that you're used to more free rein. But I must insist that you do not pummel my Lord's sons. I don't know what happened today, but it will not happen again! Do I make myself clear?" He snarled at her.

Jaya had a moment of indecision. Should she tell him that Arthur had invited her over to help with the squires, and that the boy had insulted her mother on the deepest level possible? No. That would probably get Arthur into more trouble than she was in, and she couldn't have that. Better to just accept the verbal lashing and walk away.

"It wasn't her fault, Father." Arthur's voice came from between the doorway.

Uther spun around and Jaya looked over at him like he had just done the stupidest thing that he could possibly do. "What?" Uther demanded.

"What?!" Jaya protested, her voice jumping two octaves and squeaking slightly with the strain.

Arthur didn't flinch and walked farther away from the door, closing it with a backward push of his hand. "It was my idea for her to get involved with the training, Father. And Jaya cannot be held responsible for what she did to Barret. He brought it upon himself."

Jaya's eyebrows shot up and pushed together in concern and confusion. What was he doing? He was going to get into trouble for sure. Uther might have known that she frequented the training field, but that could have fallen under that free rein he was talking about. Joining into training and especially with squires was probably not something that Uther would agree to.

Arthur just looked at her and smiled slightly. Warmth in his gaze undeniable. He winked at her.

So he knew what he was doing then. Crazy boy.

"He did what?" Uther asked, looking between the two of them. "What exactly did he do that brought the beating he got upon him?"

"He insulted Jaya's honor. Many times over." Arthur shrugged, not backing down from the hot gaze that Uther sent his way. "And when it seemed like Jaya was just going to walk away-and I assure you Father I wouldn't have been able to-he insulted her mother on the deepest level imaginable." Arthur's voice held a harsh anger that sounded like it was barely in check.

Jaya looked at him, pausing in unwrapping her left knuckles now in surprise. Arthur just told him what happened. Unapologetically and all while sounding upset that the boy would dare say those things to her. He sounded like he had been just as insulted as Jaya had been.

"And you let her do what she did to him?" Uther asked, looking back and forth between the two.

"He deserved it, Father." Arthur shrugged.

"Not entirely, M'Lord. He did stop me. And I regret to say that I did go much farther than I should have, or intended to. I've apologized to him once already." Jaya said almost the same time, looking at Arthur like she thought he seriously needed to be quiet.