so I already posted this chapter but I read through the posted chapter and noticed some mistakes I didn't notice before, so I went through and fixed them.
It wasn't what you would call a pleasant day, it had started lightly raining early that morning and it looked like it was going to continue for the rest of the day. Arthur stood on the steps in the front courtyard with Gwen by his side, Merlin and Morgana stood just behind and to the side of each of them, Merlin by Arthur and Morgana by Gwen. Sir Leon, Sir Percival, and Sir Geoffrey along with a few guards and servants stood in their respective places.
The group watched as the delegation from Nemeth arrived the horses and carriage coming to a stop in the courtyard. Sir Lancelot and Sir Elyan, who had been sent to meet King Rodor and Princess Mithian at the borders, dismounted and handed the reins to one of the stable hands who stepped forward for them.
Arthur stepped forward as the door to the carriage opened and a middle-aged man stepped out. Arthur and Morgana quickly recognized king Rodor from when he had been there ten years before. Princess Mithian had at the time been too young to come with him, so neither had met her yet. Rodor turned and helped a young woman out of the carriage. She had long dark hair tied up into a long french braid, her eyes were a deep brown and she wore a simple (for a princess) chrome yellow dress with red sleeves from her elbows to her wrists.
Mithian thanked her father as they turned to face their hosts.
Sir Elyan stepped closer, standing between but to the side of the two kings.
"King Arthur may I present his majesty King Rodor and his daughter Princess Mithian, King Rodor this is King Arthur and his wife Queen Guinevere and his sister the Lady Morgana and this is King Arthurs Advisor Merlin Ambrosius."
Rodor and Mithian turned and gave Gwen and Morgana a small bow Mithian dipping into a curtsy to the king and queen.
"King Rodor" Arthur greeted him with a small bow.
"please allow me to welcome you and your daughter to Camelot if it please you, our servants will take care of your horses and bring your things to your rooms"
"that would be acceptable," Rodor said signalling for his people to allow the horses to be taken.
Gwen stepped forward to stand beside Arthur.
"Your rooms are ready for you if you and your people would like to get out of this rain," Gwen said giving the guest king and princess a small bow of her head.
_Merlin_
Mithian looked around the room she had been provided with, it was different from what she was used to but that was to be expected. It wasn't a bad different just different. It was a corner room with two windows one on each outer wall. One was average size and the vanity stood next to it on one side and the privacy screen on the other. The other window was a bit larger and unlike the other, it had what looked to be a five-foot-long three feet wide bench with cushioning on it and small pillows arranged on one side. On closer inspection, the princess found what seemed to be an arm like you would find on a chair.
Lady Morgana and Queen Guinevere had shown up soon after she and her two personal servants had been shown to the room, to make sure she was comfortable and invite her to see the city with them the next day.
After being in the company of mostly men for the three days it had taken to get from Nemeth to Camelot and being in a carriage most of the time, her father being overprotective of his youngest child and only daughter wouldn't let her ride her horse once the rain clouds had started coming in and that had been an hour into the trip. So, of course, the princess jumped (in a dignified princess way) at the chance to get out with a couple of women close to her own age.
"it is a window seat majesty," Morgana said as Mithian's eyes strayed to the cushioned bench by the window.
"I'm sorry?" Mithian questioned turning her attention back to her dinner companion.
Her father had given his apologies earlier, He was tired from the journey and needed to rest before what he imagined would be some long meetings with Arthur started the next day. So he regretfully would not be asking her to join him for dinner. Mithian had asked Queen Guinevere (or Gwen as the queen told her to call her) and Lady Morgana (and she had been told to call her Morgana) if they would both join her for dinner.
Gwen thanked her but had to refuse as she had planned to eat with Arthur that evening. She hadn't seen much of her husband over the last few days as they had both been busy preparing for the Nemeth royals and she was most likely not going to have much time alone him during the meetings.
"the bench by the window" Morgana explained.
"it is a window seat. Well not a proper window seat, Merlin and I saw them when we were travelling a couple of years ago"
"Merlin?" Mithian asked. She realized Morgana must have been talking about when she had been missing. She remembered meeting some of Camelot's knights when they had been brought to the castle accused of trespassing. The knights had apologized explaining they were searching for King Uther's missing ward and had unfortunately gone further than the disputed lands.
"He used to be Arthur's servant, but now he's one of his most trusted advisors" Morgana explained.
"well, he was his advisor before but now it's official"
"Oh I see," Mithian said, then curious she asked.
"if it's not a proper window seat then what would one look like?"
"the window seats I saw were more like alcoves," Morgana told her.
"except they had only two walls and a large window, and under the window filling the alcove was a large wooden seat that you could open and store things in like a chest"
"What else did you see?" Mithian asked.
"if you don't mind my asking, I am curious to know but if you feel uncomfortable talking about it"
"oh not at all" Morgana said.
Morgana and Mithian talked for hours before Mithian's servant (who had been temporarily dismissed after dinner had been delivered) returned to help her get ready for bed.
_Merlin_
Mithian looked around as Morgana and Gwen Led her through the cities market square. They stopped to look at a display of colourful scarves, Mithian purchased a red scarf with gold embroidery for her sister in law. Morgana and Gwen were well known and obviously loved by the people, they took the time to talk to anyone who wanted to speak to them.
The Princess was surprised to see a couple of people in druid cloaks selling potions and some crystals. She was more surprised when Morgana and Gwen led her over to speak with them. Arthur had mentioned during the meeting that morning that the druids had been welcomed back into Camelot but it did not sink in until she now. She looked around really noticing for the first time that there were quite a few druids.
"Mithian this is Vera and Frigga" Morgana introduced the two druid apothecary women.
"your majesty," They said bowing politely to the visiting royal.
The druids showed the ladies the potions and crystals they were selling that day. Morgana purchased a potion that was to be added to a bath and would protect the skin from the heat of the sun. Mithian purchased a small pink stone she was told was called an amethyst. Frigga explained what the crystal was for Mithian smiled and thanked her though she got the crystal because it was pretty. (She's a princess, she's allowed to get something just cause it's pretty).
The Ladies looked around making a couple more purchases, Mithian just had to get a gold colour bird broach for her father, before heading back to the castle for that afternoon's meeting. The Princess thanked the Queen and the Princess before walking over and sitting down next to her father. She gave Sir Elyan a small smile and a nod of thanks as he pulled her seat out for her.
The meeting lasted for a couple of hours, it didn't go as well as everyone had hoped. Arthur explained his desire to overturn his late father's laws on magic explaining what he had discovered about Uther's reasoning for the laws against magic. King Rodor had never agreed with Uther's view on magic so he had no problem with Arthur changing the laws, he explained that He only ever prosecuted those magic-users who used their magic for harmful purposes and tended to turn a blind eye to those that were using magic to help.
Arthur was relieved perhaps this wouldn't be as difficult as he feared, well he did still have King Serum and King Aligned to deal with and a couple of other kings and queens. Queen Anise was with him, Arthur and Gwen had been sad to hear of her husbands passing after a hunting accident the previous winter.
Everything went well except for one little detail.
"I can't believe that man's nerve," Arthur said storming into his chambers with Gwen, Morgana, and Merlin following behind him. Arthur picked up a goblet from the table and flung it hard at the wall.
"Arthur, calm down," Gwen said laying a hand on his shoulder.
"He wants me to just give up part of Camelot's land," Arthur said as Merlin finished closing the door.
"and according to him they are Nemeth lands," Morgana said.
"This isn't a new argument, Nemeth has been claiming that land belonged to them for as long as I can remember"
Merlin placed the goblet back on the table after fixing the dents created by the impact on the wall (and you all know how he fixed it)
"There has to be some evidence the land belongs to Camelot," Gwen said trying to reassure him. Merlin apparently didn't get the message.
"what if he's right?" Merlin asked.
Everyone looked at him like he lost his mind, that land had always belonged to Camelot.
"hear me out," Merlin told them.
"I am not saying Uther purposefully claimed land that belongs to Nemeth, that's not something I believe he would have done"
"then what are you saying, Merlin?" Arthur asked sounding slightly irritated.
"After Uther's grandfather died Uther's father became king through his marriage to princess Ivoine."
Arthur wasn't sure why he was getting a history lesson on something he already knew but he figured his friend had a point.
"but he was overthrown by Vortigern the kingdom only returning to Pendragon rule when Uther and his army reclaimed it.
But what if he was using an old outdated map one that didn't show the new proper borders?"
"When Ivoine and Constance were fleeing they would have only had time to grab a few small things," Morgana said starting to understand where Merlin was going.
"You think it's possible that Rodor is right?" Arthur asked less angry and more thoughtful.
"that my great grandfather gave that land to his father"
"stranger things have happened, what if he passed away before a new map could be drawn"
"there would still be the documents showing the land transfer" Morgana pointed out.
Merlin thought for a minute.
"The library," he said.
"Vortigern may have caused a lot of damage when he was ruling but most of the older documents were preserved."
Arthur raised an eyebrow in silent question.
"Jeoffery told me"
Arthur considered the matter for a moment, he needed as much support as he could get if he was going to undo the damage his father had done when he started the purge. However, he couldn't just hand over the land because he was told it belonged to them without proof. The King couldn't think of a reason Rodor would lie to him about the land but at the same time, he couldn't contemplate his father lying about it either. There were a lot of things he could imagine his father lying about that he couldn't before but this wasn't one of them.
"I can't imagine Rodor or my Father lying about the land but someone is wrong," Arthur said.
"I need someone I trust to go a look through the records to see if there is anything to Rodor's claim."
merlin merlin merlin line break.
Jeoffery's apprentice Lukas pulled out the chest from a shelf on the back wall and placed it on the table along with the others he had retrieved, this would make five chests. The chests according to Jeoffery held all the documents from when Uther's grandfather king Kadryu LocStone had ruled. Lucas looked at Jeoffery with a face that said please let that be the last one.
"is this all of them?" Morgana asked.
"it is my Lady" Jeoffery told her.
"Thank you Jeoffery," Gwen said. "and thank you Lukas, we greatly appreciate your help"
Lukas bowed his head.
"I am glad to help my Ladies," He told them before Jeoffery dismissed him to return to what he had been doing before.
Jeoffery waited for Lukas to be gone before addressing the two women.
"I wish I could be more help," he told them.
"I was just a lad when Kadryu was king, I was an apprentice to Sir Savron for a mere two months before Kadryu passed away and Ivione and Constance were crowned."
Morgana and Gwen knew the rest of the story. Constance and Ivione ruled for less than a year before Vortigern attacked.
"I am afraid my eyes are not as young as they used to be"
"you've been a great help already, thank you," Gwen told him.
Gwen and Morgana waited for Jeoffery to leave before turning their attention to the chests on the table. Gwen stepped over and unlocked the chests with the key Arthur had given her. Each of the chests was full of scrolls, from knightings to alliances, there were even a couple banishments.
"tell me again why it just us looking through all these" Gwen said taking at a scroll out of the chest and eye the writing.
"because I have" Morgana looked around and whispered in mock conspiracy "Magic".
Morgana took the scroll out of Gwen's hand and placed it back in the chest. She closed her eyes and concentrated for a few seconds on finding proof of who the disputed land belongs to, before opening her golden eyes and putting her hand palm out and angled down toward.
"eowan me hwilc ic asecan" Morgana spoke calm and controlled.
The papers in one of the chests started to glow a shift around. Morgana and Gwen turned toward it and watched as a glowing scroll wiggled its way to the top of the chest. The scroll settled on top before the glow dissipated. Morgana and Gwen looked at the scroll then looked at each other then back at the scroll then back at each other. Gwen shrugged then turned and stepped forward taking the scroll from the chest.
Line break.
Arthur stood in the great hall with Gwen beside him and Morgana and Merlin on either side of them. He watched as King Rodor read the scroll that was handed to him. The scroll was verification that the land that had been under dispute did rightfully belong to Nemeth.
"Please accept Camelots apologizes for any trouble that was caused," Arthur said.
"We have already commissioned new maps to be drawn up with the corrected borders"
Rodor looked up a small smile, He was impressed. In all the years they had been disputing over the land Uther had never thought to look for proof of who the land belongs to.
"Nemeth humbly accepts your apology," Rodor said.
"and we would be pleased to sign a treaty of peace between our kingdoms".
So this is what I have for you, I know it took a while but my plot gremlins were not cooperating.
Also, my laptop desired it didn't want to work anymore so I have to get a new computer and start over because I lost what I had been working on.
Ok, so there may be some confusion about Uther's grandfather and Mithian's grandfather knowing each other.
Starting with the youngest you have one generation Arthur and Mithian then you have the next one which is Uther and Rodor, the next has Rodor's father (who I didn't give a name to) (Mithian's grandfather) The next would have Kadryu (Uther's grandfather) so Mithian's grandfather and Uther's grandfather are only one generation apart.
eowan me hwilc ic asecan = show me what I seek.
Hopefully, the next one won't take so long.
me yelling "yo, gremlins get back here" runs after plot gremlins.
