Arthur knelt over the map in frustration. "Once they've gained access to the southern ports, it's already too late. Then we'll have two weeks, three at the most before they arrive at our gates. And that's likely in addition to the troops we know she has moving in from the East."
"We can cut their forces off through Gedref," Rodor said.
"I don't think we'll have enough, Sire. We need solid intelligence about their numbers to adequately plan," Leon said.
"I will call for Kilgharrah, and conduct surveillance," Balinor said.
Arthur nodded. "Please do so with haste, My Lord."
Balinor pulled Merlin in for a hug before he left. "Take care of your mother. I will return soon."
Arthur continued moving markers around the map. "We'll need reinforcements from Gaul. Rodor, if you will permit Accolon's men access through Nemeth, he can bring his forces across the channel. They will be late, but they may be our only hope if Morgause's forces are as large as we suspect."
"Of course, Arthur," Rodor said.
"Accolon, how quickly can your men be called up and move out?" Arthur asked, trying to mentally calculate the number of days before reinforcements would arrive.
"That depends, Arthur. I have a request to make in exchange for my assistance," Accolon said.
"Of course, Accolon. I am always happy to oblige you, my friend," Arthur said, with slight surprise.
Morgana shook her head and mouthed "No" at Accolon. She wondered what spell she could cast at him to make him shut up, but it was too late.
"I want you to annul the marriage of Lord Ector and Lady Evaine. I wish to wed Lady Evaine and make her my queen," he said. The room collectively gasped.
Lord Ector's face went red with anger. "How dare you. King or not, you will not disrespect my wife, nor will you disrespect me."
Arthur was stunned. "Accolon, have you lost your senses? You know I cannot."
Accolon looked at him coldly. "Then I cannot help Camelot. My assistance comes with a price, that of my queen."
Arthur shook his head. "You can have any eligible maid in Camelot you wish! Any lady would be eager to wed you. Lady Evaine is already wed."
"A decision she regrets. She wishes this, as do I. We are still in love," he announced boldly.
The room whispered in shock.
"Take back your vile slander of my wife this instant," Lord Ector said, pointing a finger in his face. "My wife is faithful and would never debase herself with the likes of you."
"Lady Evaine does not wish to be your wife any longer. And I am prepared to take her by force, if necessary," Accolon threatened, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Accolon, be reasonable," Arthur warned, stepping between the two men. "You can't seriously want to jeopardize your kingdom…"
"I am serious. I will have Evaine as my queen."
Lord Ector stepped around Arthur to face Accolon. "You will do no such thing," he said, pulling his glove from his hand and throwing it at Accolon's feet.
"I accept your challenge," Accolon said, picking up the glove.
Arthur snatched the glove from his hand and slapped it back against Lord Ector's chest. "No, this is preposterous. Lord Ector is no condition to fight you. He lost a leg fighting for my father a generation ago. Be reasonable, Accolon! There is no honor in this!"
"A challenge has been made and the challenge has been accepted, Sire," Lord Ector said.
"I agree. We shall fight to the death for the hand of Lady Evaine," Accolon said.
Arthur stood directly in front of Accolon menacingly. "Fine. If you insist on this absurdity, Lord Ector shall have a champion instead."
"Agreed. I will fight on my own, however, I am no coward. Who is this champion?"
"You'll fight me," Arthur said, struggling to keep his anger in check.
"Arthur, no!" Morgana said in horror. "Please! You cannot do this. We don't have time for this nonsense. Accolon, apologize and let us be friends again."
"Sire, I must insist, I shall fight him myself," Lord Ector said.
"Lord Ector, you may have been one of my father's closest friends, and you've been like a father to me, but I am your king, and I will see this done myself. I owe nothing less to you, and to Camelot," Arthur said.
"So be it, we shall fight for the hand of Lady Evaine," Accolon said.
"Accolon," Morgana said, fighting back tears. "Please don't do this. Just let this go."
"Would you not fight for your love, Morgana? Would you not expect Merlin to fight for you? Why should you ask this of me?" Accolon said bitterly.
Morgana shook her head in anger and fled from the room, sparks flying from her fingertips. Merlin followed her out.
"This is why Gaul isn't there, in my visions. Arthur's going to kill Accolon, and Camelot will fall. All because of a stupid, stubborn man thinking with his cock!" she shouted, shooting magic from her hands and cracking the stone of the wall in front of her. A maid nearby shrieked in terror and fled back down the hallway.
"Sorry!" Merlin called after the girl. He put his hands up in surrender and walked backwards towards the wall she nearly destroyed. Then he turned and put his hands on the wall and repaired it.
"And my foolish brother, thinking killing another king in combat isn't going to ruin us all! Let Ector fight his own battles, let Accolon suffer the consequences of a retched choice for queen! Dammit!" she shouted, itching to blast another wall. Or Lady Evaine. Yes, that was what she needed to do…
"I'm going to see Evaine. She's the only one who can stop this," Morgana said through clenched teeth.
"Morgana, perhaps you should calm down before you… okay, yeah, I'll shut up now," he said as her eyes widened with rage.
She took a deep healing breath and exhaled slowly. "I am very calm, Merlin. I will make Evaine see the error of her ways, and put a stop to this foolishness."
"I'll, um, come with you. For… moral support," he said.
She glared at him with suspicion. "Fine."
She pounded on Evaine's door when she reached it. A maid answered, and curtsied. "Your Highness."
"I'm here to see your Lady," she said, pushing her way inside past the maid.
"Princess Morgana!" Evaine said in surprise, giving a curtsy. Her long brown locks cascaded down her back in loose curls. "I did not know to expect you. Please do sit down. Lord Merlin, welcome."
"Accolon has done something incredibly foolish and you need to put a stop to it," she said bluntly, forgoing any pleasantries.
"Oh?" she said, not looking surprised.
"He demanded your marriage to Lord Ector be annulled and that he be allowed to wed you. Arthur refused, of course, and Lord Ector has challenged him to a duel," she said, studying Evaine's reaction.
She blinked at Morgana then replied. "I see. And when is this duel supposed to take place?"
"I don't know, I left before that was determined. But Arthur will be your husband's champion."
Evaine's face paled.
"Ah, there it is. You weren't expecting that, now were you? That your husband wouldn't be so disposable after all. That it wouldn't be so easy for you to become Queen of Gaul," Morgana practically hissed.
Evaine's eyes widened. "My Lady, surely you do not think…"
"Oh, trust me, I know exactly what sort of person you are. You didn't want Accolon when he was just a knight without much wealth or prestige. But now that he's king, you regret throwing him away so callously. He loved you and you would have wanted for nothing. But it's too late now. You can't have him."
Evaine's eyes flashed in anger. "Perhaps it's you who's angry you didn't choose him."
Morgana's eyes narrowed as she took another step closer. "Unlike you, I didn't choose my husband based on his wealth or prestige. If you ever truly loved Accolon, you will tell him to call off this foolishness. He will surely die at my brother's hand, and ruin us all. You are the only one that can convince him."
"You act so sure Accolon won't defeat Arthur," Evaine said coldly, as though she weren't speaking of the death of her king.
"And then what? Camelot and Gaul shall be enemies, and Camelot will fall. You would be an illegitimate queen, and Gaul will never accept you or your illegitimate children. Actually, that would never happen anyway," she said, leaning in close to Evaine and lowering her voice menacingly. "Because if my brother is killed fighting Accolon, I become Queen of Camelot, and my first official act will be to tear off your head with my bare hands. You won't be queen of anything."
Morgana's eyes flashed gold and with a raised hand she shot a blast of magic across the room and shattered a vase in the corner. Both Evaine and her maidservant shrieked in terror. She then turned and stormed out of the room.
Merlin cleared his throat as he followed Morgana out of the room. "That went well, I think."
Morgana sighed. "Perhaps diplomacy isn't my strong suit."
"On the contrary, that was a good use of a threat of force. Perhaps next time utilize a carrot and not just the stick," he chuckled, grabbing her hand and kissing it. "I've been thinking. You said something last night that made me think there may be more to this than we realize. You said Accolon never acted like this when Evaine first refused him and married Lord Ector instead. He's a passionate sort, yes, but he's never been unreasonable or irrational. What if… what if he's been enchanted?"
"You're starting to sound like Uther," she frowned. "Not everything is sorcery. What if… he's just an ass?"
"Okay, maybe so. But, look, this whole thing seems rather convenient for Morgause, doesn't it? Accolon denied her an alliance, refusing because of his love for you and Arthur. Then he shows up here and torches that alliance because of a woman he hasn't seen in, what, two years? It doesn't make sense at all. What if she enchanted him? She certainly had access to him in Gaul."
Morgana opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it again and sighed. "There is some logic to what you say. It would be preferable to our current situation, certainly. But how can we prove it? And more importantly, if it's true, how can we reverse it?"
"I don't know the answer to either question, but I think it's worth looking into. I will leave you to managing these dollop-heads and I'll get Gaius to help figure this out."
She nodded. "Okay."
He kissed her. "Don't blow Evaine's head off in the meantime. It would definitely mean the end of an alliance with Gaul, and Arthur would be very cross with you."
She crossed her arms and scowled. "I make no promises."