Dialog written "[like this]" denotes the deeper voice of the Tok'ra or Goa'uld.

Constructive criticisms always welcomed. Flames cheerfully ignored.

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Hail to the King

Part 2: The man who would be king

SG-1, with the exception of Teal'c, stood still, mouth hung open with shock.

Arthur smiled, "I apologise for the deception earlier, but I rarely get any time to my self, so I guard my privacy closely." He ran his hand over a bracelet, the stone in the center turning it from red to green, "[That's better]."

O'Neill raised his P90, "What the hell? Carter, Teal'c, why didn't you pick up on this?" He looked around the room: the guard who had announced Arthur's entry had moved his hand to the hilt of his sword, but was yet to draw the weapon.

Arthur raised his hand, "[Please, Colonel, you are in no danger: had I intended to kill you, I could have done so a dozen times by now]." His hand moved back over the crystal bracelet, "Like I said, I apologise for the deception: I have many enemies. This device stops Goa'uld or Jaffa from picking up my symbiote."

O'Neill still had his weapon raised, "So which 'god' do you claim to be?"

Arthur shook his head, "[I am no god, nor am I a Goa'uld. And before you say anything Colonel, I am not Tok'ra either: I am what I am.]"

O'Neill raised an eyebrow, "And that would be?"

Daniel looked up, "I know who he is: he's Arthur of Tintagel, King of the Britons." He saw O'Neill's dazed expression, "Otherwise know as simply King Arthur."

O'Neill blinked, "As in 'the Knights Who Say Ni'?"

Carter shook her head, "No sir, that was Monty Python. I think we're in Sword-in-the-stone, Knights-of-the-Round-Table and Camelot teritoyr here. There is historical evidence that a Celtic King from the late fifth or early sixth centuries…"

O'Neill looked at her, "Been reading a few romance novels have you?" He turned to Arthur, "What proof do we have that you're not a Goa'uld."

Arthur nodded, "[I can understand that you want proof, and I will gladly give it to you.]" He headed towards a side door, "[If you would follow me.]"

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The doorway opened to a passageway that led deeper into the castle, and Arthur walked calmly ahead of O'Neill, seeming uncaring of the Zat pointed at his back.

The passageway finally opened up into a large room crammed from floor to ceiling with workbenches covered with cluttered equipment. It reminded Daniel of a recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci's laboratory in 15th century Italy. A large six-legged bear, apparently sleeping, was curled up in one corner.

Arthur looked round, "[You in here old man? We have visitors: the Tauri.]" There was the sound of movement, and a tall, white hair man in a long red robe came out from behind a bookcase. Arthur shook his head, "[There's no need to be so overly dramatic Merlin.]"

The old man grew translucent and faded, leaving a complacent looking Asgard behind, "Grating, people of the Tauri. I have been told much about you." He moved to stand next to Arthur, "You no-doubt have many questions for us."

O'Neill nodded, "Only one: what the hell is going on?"

Arthur smiled, "[I was, once upon a time, a member of the Tok'ra. I was sent to Earth to investigate reports that the system lords where taking slaves from the area you would know as England and Wales. While there I met Merlin.]" The Asgard bowed his head, "[Who had been sent on a similar mission by his people. We both reported what we fond, and awaited further instructions. I was told to return to the Tok'ra council, while Merlin was ordered back to his home world.]"

Merlin nodded, "But neither of us where willing to allow the suffering to continue, so we disobeyed orders and stayed. We where declared outcastes by our peoples, and left to fend for our selves."

Arthur leaned back against the wall, "[Under Merlin's tutelage, and with a little help from a friend, I was able to raise an army and defeat the Jaffa guarding the local Stargate, and we berried it under a ring of standing stones.]"

Daniel raised an eyebrow, "I guess that explains Stonehenge." He saw the other look at him, "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

Arthur nodded, "[Indeed Dr Jackson, you would know it as Stonehenge. We tried to find a leader to take over, but they where all fighting amongst themselves. As we had nowhere to go, we decided to stay. We built a castle near where we had buried the Stargate, and tried to bring peace to the land. We succeeded for a time, but in the end, the Barons started fighting amongst themselves. Then…]"

His voice trailed off, "[I gave up everything I had, everything I'd been as a Tok'ra, to try and help the people of Earth, but I sometimes wonder if it was worth the price I paid in the end. I'm sorry, if you'll excuse me.]" With that, he turned and walked from the room.

SG-1 turned to look at Merlin, "The Tok'ra counsel sent an agent to make sure that Arthur and his consort had not fallen into the ways of the Goa'uld and proclaimed themselves gods. The agent became romantically involved with Arthur's consort."

Carter nodded, "Lancelot and Guinevere: their relationship lead to the fall of Camelot, and the disbandment of the Round Table"

Merlin nodded, "Mordred, Arthur's adopted nephew, tried to grab power, and Arthur was forced to fight to maintain what little control he had left. We could have easy used our advanced technology to win, but we had sworn an oath that we would never start down that road. Arthur was mortally wounded in the battle, to the point where his symbiote was unable to heal his body. They are truly blended, the two of them: I have never been able to distinguish between the two of them."

The Asgard walked over to the bear like creature, scratching it behind one ear, "Arthur had his sword returned to they who had given it to him, then had his body taken to a pre-arranged spot, where I had it taken on bored my ship so I could heal him. We could never return to Camelot, so we gathered as many of his loyal followers as we could, and came here to start anew. We have protected this planet and its people for 1,500-years."

Daniel was confused, "Arthur's sword, Excalibur, where did it come from? The legends speak of 'The Lady of the Lake'."

Merlin turned to face the archaeologist, "The Lady of the Lake was the one you know as Oma Desala."

To Be Continued…