Arthur was sitting down for breakfast with his wife when he noticed something was wrong. The maid that usually brought their breakfast tray had been replaced. He frowned. Perhaps she wasn't feeling well. He resolved to ask the housekeeper about her.
"More tea, dear?" He smiled at Guinevere. She smiled back.
"Thank you, yes." She took a sip. "Have you heard from Lynet lately? Isn't the baby due soon?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes, I think Gawain said she had just a few more weeks. He's positively ecstatic."
Guinevere nodded. "Well, that is to be expected. I think that—" She was interrupted by a knock at the door.
Arthur frowned. He had asked that they not be disturbed unless it was an emergency. "Enter," he called.
The new maid opened the door tentatively. "Sire, I think that there's a sort of, well there's a problem," she stammered.
"Yes, what is it?" Arthur inquired.
"Me."
The door opened further to reveal a burly man with a dagger to the maid's back.
Arthur jumped up and reached for his sword hanging over the back of a chair, cursing.
"I don't think you want to do that." The maid squealed as his dagger pressed into her back. Arthur slowly sat down again, looking longingly at his sword.
The man pushed the girl into the chamber, following her with two other men, all of them dressed in chainmail with no insignia to show who they served. The last one in shut the door behind him as the girl was shoved into a closet. They quickly spread out through the room, one of them grabbing Arthur's sword while another pulled the queen to her feet with a dagger at her throat.
"Come, gentlemen, there's no need for such hostilities. I'm sure we can figure something out to resolve our differences," Arthur said calmly.
The first man sneered. "Don't delude yourself, sire, the only thing we want is your seal and signature."
"What for?"
"That's not for you to know. The only thing that should concern you right now is that I have a sword and you don't."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "I will not do what you want."
The man smirked. "I thought you'd say that. It's a good thing we have your queen here, then, isn't it?"
Arthur glanced over to where Guinevere was standing with a knife to her throat. He swallowed. "What exactly do you want me to sign?"
"Oh, nothing much, just something that will make me the Duke of Chutney," The man smirked. "Sir Reginald, Duke of Chutney. And if you don't hurry, then Camelot may find itself without a queen."
"Where are the papers so I can look over them?" Arthur asked, trying to stall for time.
He chuckled. "Oh, no, it doesn't matter to you what they say. All that should matter to you is that we have your wife, and if you—" He broke off suddenly when there was a knock at the door. He turned to glare at his men. "Get out of sight, you fools!" He hissed. They both ducked into the closet, leaving Guinevere. "Sit down," He hissed, brandishing his knife at her. "You." He pointed at Arthur. "Make one wrong move and your precious wife will find herself with a knife through her eye." He moved behind the door, fingering the handle of his knife.
Arthur took a deep breath to compose himself. "Enter," he called.
He let out a silent sigh of relief when he saw Squire Terence enter the room.
"Sire, Milord has asked me to inform you that he has taken a week to visit his brother." Terence shuffled his feet uncertainly. "He has also asked me to inform you that, unfortunately, since he will be in Orkney, he will be unable to be present for the ball that is planned for this weekend."
Arthur waved his hand. "It is of no concern to me what my nephew decides to do. I'm sure that Sir Gareth will be pleased to see his brother." Arthur looked straight into Terence's eyes, trying to convey a message.
"But sire, it is—"
"What, squire? There's no need to be so impertinent." Arthur barked
Terence swallowed. "It is exceedingly gracious of you to excuse Sir Gawain."
"Yes, yes, yes. Now be off with you, I have important matters to attend to."
"Of course, Sire." Terence bowed and exited the room.
The intruders let a few moments pass before moving back to the center of the room. "Now, you will sign the parchment. No more stalling."
Arthur glared up at him. "What do you expect me to use to sign it?"
The leader glanced over to his henchmen. "Give me the writing box." One of them reached into his pack and pulled out an ornate box, handing it to the leader who then gave it to Arthur. Arthur leisurely opened it and perused its contents. "Hurry up, damn you!"
Arthur looked up placatingly. "I'm just making sure you have everything I'll need."
The man sneered. "Well, your majesty, does everything meet your approval?"
Arthur frowned. "I'm afraid not. You see, to make this a legally binding document, I need to seal it. And there's no sealing wax here."
The man looked around in fury before snapping at one of his men. "You! Go find me some sealing wax!" The man immediately began rummaging in the desk drawers.
As Arthur looked away from the ruffian destroying the contents of his writing desk, he caught a glimpse of something moving outside the window. He turned away from it, trying not to draw attention to whatever it was.
The man looking for the sealing wax seemed to have found it, turning around triumphantly. "I've found some, my lor—" He broke off with a gasp, slumping over the table to reveal the arrow embedded in his back.
The leader jumped, his hand going to his sword and pulling it out. "Where are they? How could they have gotten in here?"
He turned to Arthur. "What have you done?"
Arthur shrugged innocently. "I haven't done anything. Perhaps your men just aren't as efficient as you thought they were."
"What do you mean by that?" The leader barked. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter. You!" He turned to his last remaining man. "Restrain the queen!" He turned back to Arthur. "I don't know what is happening here," he said coldly. "But you will stop it. I will not tolerate—"
He broke off as an arrow slammed into the neck of his last remaining man. Guinevere cried out and broke out of his grasp as he fell to the floor, kicking him aside when he hid the floor. Arthur jumped out of his chair, knocking his assailant's sword from his grasp as he reached for the hidden dagger in his boot. Terence swung into the room through the window, an arrow already on the string of his bow. He scanned the room, looking for any signs of trouble. "Are you both alright, your majesties?" He returned his arrow to his belt and walked over to the queen, offering her a hand as he nudged the body of the man lying on the ground beside her. She swallowed and took his hand as he helped her to her feet, trying not to look down at the body.
"I—I'm fine. Thank you, Terence."
Terence nodded. He bent down to check the body. "This one's dead." He shook his head and moved over to the one with an arrow in his back. "So's this one. Maybe now Gawain will finally admit that I'm the best bowman at Camelot."
Arthur barked out a laugh. "It doesn't matter if he admits it or not, everyone knows it's true." His eyes softened. "Thank you, Terence."
Terence smiled back. "No need, sire, anyone would have done the same."
Arthur shook his head bitterly. "No, not everyone would have."
Terence looked away, clearing his throat. "So what are you planning on doing with the piece of carrion at the end of your dagger?"
Arthur turned back to his captive, moving his knife away and sheathing it. His jaw tightened. "This." He pulled back and punched the man in the jaw, sending him sprawling on the floor unconscious. "That was for threatening my wife," he growled.
"Was that necessary?" Terence asked.
"No, but it felt good. Go fetch Kai, please."
"Of course, sire." As Terence turned and headed for the door, it opened, revealing Kai standing there.
Terence laughed, turning back to his king. "See how efficient I am, sire? Now that I've fetched Kai for you, is there anything else you need?"
Kai looked around the room, his surprise showing on his face for once. "What happened? I leave you alone for a few minutes, come back, and you have dead men sprawled all over the floor."
Arthur laughed. "Oh, don't blame me for this. It was completely Terence's fault."
"What!" Terence protested. "So this is the thanks I get for saving your life? See if I ever do it again," he huffed.
"Isn't that what he said last time?" Kai asked.
Arthur nodded slowly. "I do believe it is."
Terence folded his arms across his chest. "Fine then, I can tell when I'm not appreciated. I'm leaving."
'Where are you going?" Kai asked.
"Gawain's got it into his head to visit Orkney. And I'm sure that this visit has nothing to do whatsoever with the banquet and ball that is happening this weekend."
"Right," Kai said, raising his brow. "I'm sure."
"Well, I must get going. You know how impatient Gawain gets." He smiled mischievously at the two brothers. "Have fun cleaning this mess up." He turned and left the room smiling.
