I do not own Merlin. My plot gremlins just like to mess with him.

The castle was dark and in disrepair, it had been for a while but no one had really noticed until Cenred had made an alliance with Odin and taken the entire army to attack Camelot. The soldiers and the knights had been gone for just over two weeks, the city having been left with a bare minimum of guards. When they returned it was with opened eyes, at first they were surprised at the state of their home but then they realized nothing about it had actually changed.

Cenred had overtaxed his people showing no concern for their welfare. The money from the taxes didn't go towards making sure there were enough food and medicine or repairs on buildings and roads as it should have. Most of the tax money was used to fund Cenreds army and guards, guards that were more inclined to drink and gamble rather than do their jobs unless the were given a direct assignment by Cenred, such as the time a trap was set up to catch prince Arthur.

The gate to the city was strong but there were far too many places along the walls that surrounded the city that were visibly weak. The less than half of Cenred's army that returned after the failed battle walked back into the city and looked around for what almost felt like the first time.

"man," one of the soldiers said in a hushed voice to his friend as they looked up at the walls and at the people who were keeping their heads down and doing everything they could to avoid having to make contact with them.

"I can't believe I never noticed how bad it was," for the first time he took notice of the stable hand who came to take their horses, the boys eyes never left the ground and he made sure not to touch the soldier's hand.

"I know, when I walked up and saw the walls for a minute I thought we were the ones that had been attacked, but then," the other soldier said cutting himself off not needing to finish.

"What I'd like to know," a third soldier said

"is where the heck did they get a freaking dragon?"

The weeks passed as the few nobles that Escetir had, tried to work out who would be the new king. No one could agree who was suppose to be Cenred's successor, the man had never married or had any children, his brother had also died with no children so there were no nieces or nephews and his father who had inherited the thrown from had been an only child so no cousins. There wasn't even an Illagitamit son or daughter to put on the thrown. The only woman Cenred had shown any interest in marrying had been Morgause and now the lord wondered if that might have been some sort of spell considering what the men that had witness Cenred's death had told them. Although they couldn't figure out what the purpose of the possible spell making him want to marry her could have been since she turned him down every time he suggested marriage to her.

None of the Lords wanted to take on the responsibilty of being King over a kindom that needed so much repair. They had enough to do taking care of their portions of land. Not that they tended to put much effort into taking care of their own lands.

One of the Lords suggested contacting Lord Lot, the man who would have been king had his father not been deposed, but the idea was shot down by four of the Lords who had had the displeasure of being in lord Lot's pressence on more than one occation. He man was to similer in ambition to Cenred, plus the man was almost old enough to be Cenred's grandfather and both his son's had died in battle before either had fathered any children of their own. So He had no heir's and wasn't likely to, which meant that the kindom would just be back where they started when Lot died.

After several weeks of depates, idea's being brought up by someone and then shot down by another Lord Gadby who had been at Camelot during the battle got an idea, which many were surprised hadn't been suggested before.

The messenger from Essitir stood in the thrown room having been brought before the king. He had been chosen to deliver the letter from the nobles because he was young. The Lord's hoped sending someone that did not look threatening would help ensure the letter got to whom it needed to get to.

"Am I to understand that Essetir wishes to become part of Camelot?" Arthur asked after reading the letter five times just to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

Arthur hadn't known what to expect when the messenager from Essetir had arrived that afternoon. He thought perhaps it would be a request for a peace treaty or a letter to inform him of who Essitir's new king and or queen was. He had not expected to receive a letter asking him to take over as king himself.

"Yes sire, I was told you were the only person all the lord's could agree on," The messenger said his eyes on Arthur's feet.

"does lord Lot not have claim to the thrown of Essitir?" Arthur questioned the messenger.

"I, I believe so sire, but the other lord's fear that he is to similar to Cenred plus he is very old and has no heirs" The messenger explained, his eyes still on Arthur's feet.

Arthur wasn't sure what to do, he had just barely been crowned king of Camelot and now it might grow by the size of an entire kingdom. He needed to think before making any decisions.

"I will think on this request and have an answer for you to bring back to your lords by tomorrow" Arthur spoke

"until then you will be provided with a room, and my servant Merlin will see to it that you are given some food"

"thank, thank you sire" the messenger stuttered genuenly surprised at being offered food let alone a room.

Merlin stepped forward, he glanced at Arthur and then at the messenger who was still looking at Arthur's feet.

"Merlin, show him to the guest quarter's in the north wing" Arthur instructed

"yes Sire" Merlin said giving Arthur a nod before turning to the messenger.

"I am sorry I didn't get your name"

"Caspian sir, Caspian," He told him.

"alright Caspian, if you will follow me and it's just Merlin," Merlin said turning and heading toward the exit.

Caspian followed the feet of the kings servant out into the hall way and several feet before finally looking up.

"well it's about time," Merlin said giving Caspian a smile.

"you know I don't think Arthur's shoes are that impressive, but you couldn't take your eye off of them almost the entire time you were in the room with him"

Caspian gave him a confused look.

"never mind" Merlin sighed and shook his head.

"do you have any bags we need to pick up?"

"I only packed a small bit of food for the trip here, I was hoping to buy some more for the return trip once I was here," Caspian told him.

"what about a change of cloths?" Merlin asked as they turned a corner and almost bumped into Gwen who was carrying Morgana's laundry.

Gwen and Merlin stopped and took a step back to avoid crashing into the other person, Caspian came to a stop beside Merlin.

"sorry Gwen" Merlin said helping her to rebalance the basket she almost dropped.

"it's alright Merlin," Gwen said with a smile, she glanced at the young man beside him.

"aren't you going to introduce us?"

"oh right," Merlin said

"Gwen this is Caspian, Caspian this is Lady Gwenevier"

"My Lady" Caspian said with a bow his eyes finding her feet. Camelot was an odd place, he had never seen a noble woman carrying laundry before.

"it's Gwen and I'm not a lady, and even if I was I would not what people to stare at my feet all the time," Gwen told him

Caspian slowly looked up, he looked back and forth between them a little confused. Why would the king's manservant lie about her being a lady. Was lying about someone station not punishable in Camelot like it was in Essetir

"uh Gwen your brother is a knight now remember," Merlin said

"of course, I remember," Gwen told him"you do know that makes you a lady right", Merlin asked retoricaly.

"so," Gwen said turning to Caspian changing the subject.

"what brings you to Camelot?"

Her change of topic did not go unnoticed by either of them.

"I was bringing a message to king Arthur from the lords of Escetir," Caspian told her

"oh?" Gwen asked her eye caught Merlins giving him a questioning look. He mouthed a promise to tell her later.

"yes and his majesty has offered Caspian a room for the night after his journey," Merlin said

"it was very kind of him," Caspian said.

Merlin and Gwen could tell he was fighting with himself to look up and not to keep his eyes on her feet.

Gwen smiled and hitched up her basket.

"yes he can be. Well it was nice to meet you Caspian but I'm afraid Lady Morgana may start to wonder what's taking me" Gwen said.

"perhaps we'll meet again before you head back"

"I would like that" Caspian said

Caspian and Merlin bit Gwen good day as she stepped passed them and continued to Morgana's chamber's.

"now," Merlin said as Gwen disapeared around the corner.

"change of cloth?"

Caspian turned to Merlin confused for a second, then he remembered what they had been talking about before they had met Gwen er Lady Gwenevier.

"Oh uh yes," Caspian said

"I do have a change of cloths, but I had expected to be staying at an Inn so I left my bag with the horse Lord Gadby loned me"

"right," Merlin said turning around and heading back the other way.

"uh, sir I mean Merlin?" Caspian asked as he turned to follow him.

"your horse had most likely been taken to the guest stables," Merlin said

"It will be faster to get your bag from there before finding a room".

Gwen walked into Morgana's chamber's and set the basket of laundry on the floor infront of the wardrobe. She looked around noticeing the top of Morgana's head behind the changing screen.

"did you know Arthur received a message from Essetir today?" Gwen asked as she put the clean laundry away

Morgana hung her dress over the side of the changing screen and grabbed the other one that was there.

"yes I was in the great hall when it was delivered," Morgana told her.

"Arthur's calling a meeting of the round table council in one hour"

"is that why you are changing?" Gwen asked as she took the dress Morgana had discarded and placed it in the now empty laundry basket.

"of course not," Morgana said, Gwen could almost hear the eye roll in her voice. Gwen lips twitched, over a year before it wouldn't have been uncommen for lady Morgana to change clothes more than once a day.

"I accidently spilled some wine on my dress"

Gwen took a proper look at the dress and noticed the red stain on the front, The dress was defenetely ruined.

"what do you think of Caspian?" Gwen asked

"who?" Morgana asked stepping out from behind the changing screen.

"Oh right the messanger. He seemed nice enough, a bit obsesed with Arthur's shoes."

Gwen help Morgana with the buttons the lady couldn't reach to do up herself.

"yes, Merlin introduced me as a Lady and as soon as the word came out of his mouth Caspian's eyes found my feet," Gwen told her.

"I of course told him I wasn't a lady my lady"

Morgana smiled and turned to face her friend taking her hand in her's.

"of course your a lady Gwen", Morgana said

"your brother is a knight which in turn makes you a lady, and even before you brother was knighted you had a natural ladyesc quality"

"then why am I still folding your laundry my lady" Gwen said with a wry smile.

"is ladyesc a word?"

Morgana shook her head at her friend and sat down to pull on her shoes. Her eye's landed on the the stained dress and she muttered a couple of words before turning her attention back to Gwen.

"I am so glad that Camelot's servant's don't act like that all the time", Morgana said refering to Caspian's behavior in the great hall.

"was it bad?" Gwen asked her as she straighted somethings on Morgana's vanity then sat in the chair across from her when Morgana gave her a look. Gwen's eyes happen to scan over the dress in the laundry basket as she moved to sit down, the stain was gone.

"the poor boy's eye's never left the floor the entire time he was in there", Morgana told her.

"I know it's a possition most servant's are trained to take, but at least in Camelot the servants will actually look at you when you are speaking to them"

"perhaps in Essetir it's how servants show respect" Gwen suggested

Morgana frowned and thought for a moment.

"hmm, I don't know", She said

"it seemed more like he was to afraid to look up rather than having respect. It makes me wonder if all of Cenred's servant's are like this".

Arthur looked out the window of the council chamber for a minute before turning and walking back to lean his hands on the round table. His eye's scaned the engraving at each seat, Gaius had been teaching him some of the language that was inscribed on the table for the past couple of month's so he new what most of it said.

Arthur's lips quirked up when his eye's landed on the inscription at the seat that belonged to Merlin as they always did. Magic, it fit him.

The round table had been transported to Camelot just after Arthur was crowned. He had wanted something that would help everyone on the council to feel equel. He wanted no one to have any concern about speaking up, not that Merlin or Morgana or even Gwaine had an issue with that. Gwen would speak up but she tended to do it in private, and then she would get flustered it was rather, no focus.

The King picked up the letter from the Essetirian lords, It did bring up a bit of a delema. On one hand he had his hands full with Camelot and the changes he was trying to implement. On the other hand bringing Essitir into Camelot's fold could help both kingdoms. However just because the lords had all agreed didn't mean the people would accept him as king.

Arthur looked up as the door opened and Merlin walked in followed by Sir Gwaine and Sir Belivare. Soon Morgana and Gwen entered followed by Sir Percival and Sir Leon, the rest of the round table knights Sir Galahad, Sir Elyan and Sir Lancelot were all out on patrol for the week.

"does anyone know were Gauis is?" Arthur asked as everyone took their seats.

"I believe he was in the library with lord Monmouth", Gwen said as she sat down in the chair Arthur pulled out for her.

"Gauis and Geoffry have slown down in their old age", Morgana said

"I'm sure they'll be here any minute"

As if on que the door to the council chambers opened and Geoffery stepped into the room followed by Gauis.

"Sire", Geoffery said with a bow.

"please Geoffery, Gauis have a seat", Arthur said.

The two oldest member's of the council took their seats at the table Gauis sitting in the seat in front of the inscription

that said wisdom and Geoffery sat at the one that said knowledge.

"thank you all for coming at such short notice", Arthur said as he sat down.

"as some of you know a messanger came from Essetire this afternoon with a letter making a request that I feel I need to ask your opinions about."

"well what do they want princess?" Gwain asked

"Gwain", Arthur said warningly. He had specifically asked Gwain not to call him that, at least during the official meeting or infront of the lords.

"sorry, Queen Arthur"

"Gwain, I swear I will have Merlin cast a spell so that every mug of Ale you try to drink turns to water"

"you wouldn't"

Arthur gave him a try me look. Gwain looked to Merlin who was no help at all.

"uh, what do the people of the Essetir want your majesty king Arthur?" Gwain asked in a look at me behaving tone.

Arthur brought out the note and handed it to Merlin.

"I'll let you all read it for yourselved" Arthur told them

"it will be simpler than trying to explain it"

Morgana leaned over a little as Merlin possitioned the letter so they could both read it, then she passed it to Belivare who read it before getting up and going around the back of the two seats that were inbetween him and Percival and handed it to the large knight. The Letter made it's way around the table to Gwen, who read the letter twice before handing it back to Arthur.

"that is a big decision to make", Gwen said as he took the letter from her

"I think Ealodor is likely to support you",Merlin told him.

"I could write my mother and father see if they might be able to get some idea of how well you would be received from some of the neihboring towns and villages"

"doesn't Lord Lot have a claim to the thrown of Essetir?" Sir Belavare asked

"yes but it's a weak claim", Sir Leon said

"Lot's father was diposed by Cenred's grandfather" Geoffery spoke.

"with only two lord to support him Lot's father signed away his right to the thrown and the right of any of his heir in exchange for a Lord ship for his son and to not be banished"

"so that means that Lord Lot doesn't actually have any claim then", Sir Percival said

"That doesn't mean that he won't try", Arthur said

"if I agree to this. To bring Essitir in to Camelot. Lot could start a war if he believes I've stollen what is rightfully his"

"do you know if anyone has talked to Lord Lot about this?" Morgana asked

"we know the Essetirian lords say they would prefer you, but has anyone found out if Lot actually want's to be king of Essetir. For all you know it might not even be an issue"

"oh he'll care", Sir Gwain said.

"I've had the pleasure and I use the term loosly of meeting Lord Lot once, and I can under stand why they don't want him to be King especially after someone like Cenred"

"what if Lord Lot and a couple of representatives from Essetir were invited to Camelot to discuss the issue" Gwen suggested.

"that's a good idea", Merlin said

"from what I read in the letter there is no way Essetir will support Lot as King, even if Arthur decided not to take the request"

"Lot and Arthur are the only options", Gauis said

"If Arthur doesn't bring Essetir in to Camelot's fold them they won't have any other choice put to Crown Lot"

Arthur was quiet for a moment as he thought.

"I have heard rumours about Lot", Arthur said

"however I also heard things about certain kinds of people that I now know were not true. How do I know that the situation is not similer with Lord Lot"

"it's not", Percival said

"Lancelot and I worked as gaurds in Lot's Manner for about a month and that was enough for both of us"

"if I am to do this I would need everyone's support", Arthur said

"you have our support Arthur", Morgana said everyone nodded in agreement.

"and from the letter I'd say you have the support of the Lord's of Essetire as well".

"thank you, I think I know what to do but I think Gwen had the right idea", Arthur said

"I'd like to meet a couple of these Lord and speak with them face to face. I'll draw up a letter for their messenger to bring back with him tommorow"

"Caspian", Merlin and Morgana said.

Arthur ignored them, he knew what the messengers name was.

"Merlin, if you can have your letter done before Caspian leave tomorrow perhaps he'd be willing to deliver it"

"wouldn't that add two hours onto his journey?" Gwen asked

"not if he goes straight to Ealdor first", Merlin said

"once he's there my mother can give him directions for a faster route through a mountain pass, it tends to get cut off in the winter but it should still be good for a couple more months".

To say Lord Lot was not happy about The Essetirian Lord wanting to hand over the kindom which he thought should rightfully be his would have been an understatement. The Lord agreed to meet the escort king Arthur had sent to the Essetir border with Lord Gadby and Lord Ihrin.

They were an hour into Camelot's lands when the hired mercinaries attacked dressed like bandits. The small escort was out numbered three to one. Lord Lot watched as the knights fought the mercinaries, any minute now the other group of mercinaries he had hire would come and rescue them. However Camelots knight had other idea's quickly drawing there sword and dismounting to meet the attackers head on.

Leon blocked his attackers blade with his own and pivoted bringing himself so he was beside the man and brought his elbow back to strike the mans face. He then turn bringing his sword around to block another.

Elyan ducked under one man's swinging sword coming up to grab the mans wrist and turning to kick another attacker before striking the first attacker on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. He then blocked an attacker from striking Sir Belavare from behind bringing his sword down on top of the attakers to push it to the ground before bringing his booted foot down on the blade causing the attacker to bend forward as he tried to hold on allowing Elyan to knee him in the head.

Sir Belavare made his way around the horses with Sir Gwain to head off three more disguised as bandit mercinaries that were intending to attack lord Gadby and lord Ihrin from behind, (plus lord Lot but we all know it would have just been for apearances). Lord Gadby trying to keep his horse calm and looking for a way to get out of the way turned to see a bandit reaching for his horses reins before sir Gwain stepped in a grabbed the attacker's wrist and pulling him away and placing his leg at an angle behind the attackers causing him to fall onto his back. Mean while sir Belavare clashed swords with the attacker going after lord Irhin, just as he disarmed and knocked the attacker out he turned to see the third attacker running up on sir Gwains from behind Belavare moved quickly to help Gwain. (and we are back to were we left Gwain) Sir Gwain then turned on the leg that had tripped his first attacker and brought his other leg up and around to kick the second attacker that was coming at him in the midsection forcing him back into Sir Belivare who kicked him in the back of the leg and pushed down on his shoulder causing him to fall to his knees. Belivare held his sword on the man while Gwain held his on the other.

Soon the Attackers were disarmed and either running away or kneeling or laying on the ground wounded.

Lord Lot was fuming inside when he realized that Camelot's knights had defeated his mercinaries before his other merinaries could have a chance to rescue them. He had wanted to show these Lords that Arthur and his knights couldn't protect them as well as they thought he could, after all if He can't do it on his own home lands how can he do it on unfamilier lands. If Lot didn't think it was impossible he's almost think they had known there was going to be an attack before hand.

Lord Lot caught sight of the other Mercinaries, the ones that were suppose to rescue them from, the incompitence of Camelot's knights, as they crested the hill. His gaze went to the others in the group, the knights were tying up the mercinaries that hadn't been able to run away. Lord Gadby was speaking to Lord Ihrin and Sir Leon, Lot turned his attention back to the mercinaries that had just arrived signaling for them to abort.

Lord Lot let out the breath he was holding when the group slowed and changed direction. Lot turned to see Lord Ihrin and sir Elyan looking in the direction that the rescue mercinaries had been, then Elyan turned to look at Lot with a look that said I may not be able to prove it but I know you had something to do with this.

One thing about lord Lot he didn't hide his anger easily, lord Irhin couldn't help but notice Lots reactions. His surprise at the attack had seemed fake and he looked less then happy when the knights of their possible new king had succeded in protecting them, the man has schooled his feature quickly but it was obvious he had something to do with the attack even if he had no way to prove it. Lord Ihrin sighed and shook his head in disapointment, he had actually been on the fence about not giving Lot the crown and giving it to Arthur instead. but it was this kind of thing that made everyone not trust Lot to be king.

It took three meeting's and a signed treaty from lord Lot confirming that he accepted that he had no claim on Essetir as per his Father's deal. Lot was not happy about it but the Essetirian Lords and the Kings of the neiboring kingdoms made it clear they would not support him if he tried to claim the thrown. Especially after the third time he tried sabitiosh Arthur. This time by hiring people to create a blockeage at the head of a river that split in to two and provided water for dozens of villages.

Lot had no idea how he had done it. Arthur had already been packed to go when news of there being something wrong reached them. Heck his servant had been saddling his horse, he had only taken his servant and that obnoxious Sir Gwain with him. It would have taken about an hour to get to were the block was and that was if they knew were it was, then it should have take them a significant amount of time to move the rubble that had been placed to block the water. How the heck could they have been gone for only two hours and have fixed the problem.

So Arthur Pendragon became the King of Camelot and Essetir. He found that the people were more excepting of the change than he had feared they might be, esspecialy when he ordered that the tax money that Cenred had collected from them be used for the benefit of the people. Peoples homes were the first to be repaired then grain silos and so on, the castle was to be taken care of last since it needed the least work.

Gwen and Merlin stood just behind Arthur and Morgana, they watched as Sir Belivare, Sir Breuse, Lord Fremont and Lord Torrin road out of the city with Lord Gadby and Lord Oswin from Essetir. Lord Fremont and Lord Torrin were given the task to take the land's just across border from each of their lands which bordered Camelot and Essetir under their protection, as the previous lords of those land had after their only heir's died during the attack on Camelot decided to step down. The two retiring lords happen to share a cousin in Kent who had agreed to take them in.

Sir Breuse had been assigned to a take over the land of Lord Vasion, who it turned out had been killed and his lands taken over by a warlord who had been treating the people in the area almost like slaves for the past couple of years. Arthur was not happy when he found out that not only had Cenred been aware of what had happened but so had most of the Lord's and no one has thought to do anything about it.

Sir Belivare was to take over the care of the city of Essetir and it's surrounding land.

Arthur's eyes had been opened to how bad things could get when a kingdom's leader lacked in their duties during the two weeks he spent touring Essetir and meeting with some of the people. He swore to himself he would never allow Essetir to get that bad again and to make sure Camelot never experianced it so long as he was king.

A Small smile found Merlin's face, it wasn't how he had imagined it but this was a step toward Albion.

"hey does anyone know what happen with Cornwall", Sir Galahad asked as a few of the knights gathered at the rising sun tavern. Gwain held onto his mug of ale very glad Arthur had not followed through on his threat.

"King Rodor took over Cornwall", Sir Leon told him

"turned out Odin was King through his late wife who was Rodor's cousin, and since he and his daughter are her only living blood relatives it gives him highest claim"

And there you have it another chapter done. I know many people say that Lot became King after Cenred, both fan fictions and official Merlin websights. However I can't recall seeing any episode of Merlin with Lot in them, or even a conversation were he's even mentioned. Plus I really wanted to bring the two kingdoms together. Plus hey someone had to take over Cornwall why not Rodor.

My gremling put the attack in there cause this shot needed some action, I've snuck some magic in aswell if you can see the clues.