Chapter 50 [Camelot]

Arthur gazed at Mirror's reflection. Rather than Royalty, Image showed a frazzled young man. His hair ran every which way. The chain mail still lay across the chair. His socks still had holes in them. Blemishes marred his boots.

George stopped appearing for the most part. A plate of food would seem to show up. The bed would make itself as if by its own accord. Clean clothes waited on the chair. Still, Abuse and Intimidation reduced him to little more than a ghost about the castle.

Useless. No wonder Merlin hated him so much! Arthur frowned. I cannot ride out at the head of the knights looking like some bumpkin! He rolled his eyes. Merlin would be prattling on like some girl about looking my fighting best or some other rubbish. I….

Merlin…

Arthur rubbed his forehead. Disbelief dawned on him. He found himself missing his former servant. Instinct looked for Merlin. Ears could almost hear Merlin's gibes or prattling on. The chamber pot rang when inadvertently kicked by a clumsy foot….

…that it seemed was all an act. Merlin had lived a lie. Friendship obscured Treason. He was a sorcerer….

How could he do that to Father and me? HOW? Arthur banged his fist against the table. Had he not warned Merlin about the evils of magic? Had they both not seen that very thing with their own eyes? And yet, much as Subterfuge guided George's efforts, it steered Merlin to cast spells right under his very nose. Betrayal stung Arthur's pride.

King Bors exacerbated Pain's sting with Co-Existence's Ultimatum. Words expressed Sentiment's growth throughout Britannia and across the Sea. He'd had his issues with Uther over the Purge. Gaul disagreed with Camelot over magical allies. Worse, Acknowledgment glorified them. Now, in Camelot's time of need, Bors stuck the knife in yet again. He promised help with no strings attached against Mercia. Diplomacy, on the other hand, revolved around Co-Existence.

Father must be beside himself wherever he is! Arthur ground his teeth. He pulled on his chain mail and his sur coat. Wrinkles didn't ease their way out. Scuffs and Mars offended his eyes. He frowned.

"Arthur?" Gwen knocked at the door. Concern pushed her into the chamber. Grimace twisted her lip and narrowed her eyes. She slipped in and closed the door. "You are not ready yet?"

"George is like a ghost. It is not like anyone's here to dress me." Arthur pulled his belt and secured the buckle. He slipped the gauntlets over his wrists.

"You are not easy to deal with when you are like this. You do realize that?" She helped him with the hauberk. "Hang on. I will not have you going out with your mess like that!" She stalked across the chamber.

A snort escaped his lips. "And what do you mean by that? I am not easy?"

"Nay. You are most certainly not, Arthur Pendragon. I know you. That is why I can see under the bluster and such." Her eyes sparkled at him. "You will be a great King. You just need to understand all of your subjects. I admit I do not understand them myself." She brought his brush to him. "Use that."

"This is a battle not some state dinner!"

She raised an eyebrow. "For some things, Arthur, primping is not such a bad thing. Aye it is what we girls do." She watched Bristle's pull through his hair and the tangles therein.

"OW!" Annoyance stiffened his shoulders. Glare stabbed at her.

"Sorry! Merlin is not coming. Guess you are going to have to deal with that." A pained sigh escaped her lips. "Guess we all are going to have to deal with it."

"Better exile than watching him blubber on the gallows or at the stake. I exiled him. Father would have executed him. Guess I am not so bad?" He tried a 'gotcha' smirk at her.

She wasn't having any of it. She tugged at his hair again. "So help me! I am going to have a word with George. He was sulking and polishing silver. You are going to have to find another servant. Guess Merlin was not so bad. Was he?"

"When he was not prattling on about rubbish or tripping over the chamber pot?" He scowled. His eyes rolled. "He'd go on about my weight or some idiot thing."

She coughed. "Merlin was acting, Arthur." She finished with the brush. "Think about what we have had to do to stay close to each other. Have we not had to lie about our feelings?"

"Aye." Arthur squeezed her hand.

"And who kept that secret? Who nagged you about our feelings for each other?" She pressed.

He frowned. "Merlin."

"What was that? I did not hear you?" She leaned close. Her ears wanted his admission in that regard.

He squirmed. "Merlin." His hand seized on the goblet. Wine failed to numb Pride's pain. He winced.

"Oh! That's right! Merlin." She relished the point. "Well he has his own kingdom to run now. Well…his and Mithian's anyway."

Guffaw burst out from him. "Merlin? Run the kingdom? HAH! More than likely, Mithian's going to have her hands full. That idiot cannot even run this chamber much less…." Sarcasm smirked through Arthur's eyes and mouth.

She shook her head. "Who's the one sulking in his chamber right now? Who drove his servant away?" She patted his shoulder.

Exasperation burned akin to Rash's irritation. "All right! All right! I get it!" He stood…almost jumping out of his chair. He embraced her. "What made you so…oh I do not know?"

"Wise?" Her own smirk widened across her face. Her arms snaked around his waist.

"Aye…fine. Wise." He squirmed again. "And Father doubted you?"

"He just did not want to see what you do. I love you, Arthur." She pressed her lips down on his.

His mouth returned the gesture. If he'd had his way, he'd have stayed there with her all day. Unfortunately, War marshalled outside the gates. Bors waited for him. The knights looked to him.

Uther had passed beyond the Veil. He was now the leader…He was the King…

And Gwen was the Queen…his love…his partner and source of strength….

Purpose set his eyes into hers. "Father let himself be blinded. I am not."

She nodded. "Just have your eyes open now, Arthur." She stepped back. Inspecting eye took him in. "You are ready. Just be Arthur. As Merlin would say…."

"Gwen."

"Nay! Listen all right?" Her eyebrow raised. Her hand seized his forearm. "Merlin has faith in you as a King. He would remind you that you are the Once and Future King. Destiny has put you on that throne. Go and be that King now." She put his helmet in his hands. "Be that King. Beat back Cenred. Secure that legacy."

"Aye." Wonder and Awe numbed his mind. How could Father not see this? He held his hand out. "Walk with me?"

"Arthur, they will see us." Now it was her turn to squirm.

"I do not care." He grasped her hand. He raised it to allow his mouth another of Amor's whispers across her knuckles. "Let them face the future." He guided her out the chamber door and toward the stairs.

War awaited them….