In the still of the night, Krysia woke to Merlin prodding her. She groaned, rolling over.

"What?"

"Did you feel that?" he said.

"Obviously not," she said into her pillow.

He nearly let her fall back asleep, then said, "You're sure?"

"Yes, go to sleep."

But before she could go to sleep again, she did feel something, not strong enough to have waken her like it woke, Merlin, but once she was up…

She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"What is that?" she said.

"That's what I want to know," Merlin said. "It has to be close if you felt it too."

She groaned, and he went out from their chamber. Krysia could see Gaius still up. She had no idea how long until morning, but she supposed there was nothing to be done but waking and hoping she wasn't too tired during the day.

"Can't sleep?" Gaius said.

"Something woke me," Merlin said. Gaius raised an eyebrow, and Merlin said, "I woke Krysia. But then she felt it too."

"Felt what?" Gaius said.

"I don't know. I'm not sure. A feeling."

"What kind of feeling?"

"Magic," Krysia said. She sat at the end of the bench. "Strong magic, and it has to be close. Probably here in Camelot."

Before Gaius could say more, the door flung open and Gwen rushed in, eyes full of tears.

"Gwen," Merlin said, startled. "What's wrong?"

"My father's been arrested."

Krysia's stomach tightened. She knew Tom was a kind man, a good man, but she knew he wasn't always the most careful man. And if someone was doing powerful magic—

"Arrested?" Merlin said. He seemed astonished. "What for?"

"They say he was making weapons for a sorcerer! They're charging him with treason!"

Krysia squeezed her hands into tight fists under the bench, but while she knew the details couldn't be possible, he must have done something for a sorcerer. For Uther, that would have been enough.

/-/

Krysia managed to find Leon, who had established the guard for Tom in the dungeons. Before she could say a word, he said, "If you're going to ask me to sneak him out, I can't help you."

She managed a smile and wondered just how haggard she looked from lack of sleep that this was immediately where Leon expected her to go.

"I know, Leon. Nothing so complicated. I'm here on behalf of Gwen. She wants to see him. She wants to have a couple of minutes to talk to him. Surely you can grant me that."

Leon hesitated, leaned closer and whispered, "You know he's been arrested for treason."

"I'm aware."

"And consorting with sorcerers."

"I know, Leon."

"Do you really want to be involved in this?"

For a wild moment, the question caught her off guard, and she wondered if Leon knew something he shouldn't about her. Why else would he want her far away from cases involved with magic, when he denied her almost nothing in life? But then she recalled how often he warned her about little things, too, like not fighting people larger than her when they were children, not gambling with Morgana, not climbing too high. He was just being a cautious friend, surely. All was well.

"I'm not asking for me, Leon, this is for Gwen. She'll be the one to talk to him. Merlin and I will be nearby for support, but this isn't about us."

"You should stay in bed, send Merlin alone."

Krysia set her jaw and was about to argue when he raised a hand and smiled.

"Alright, alright, I can see I won't convince you," he said. "I'll arrange it, but it needs to be short. You can't risk suspicion from the guard on Gwen as well."

"Of course," Krysia said, squeezing his wrist gently in thanks. "Whatever you can give her. Thank you."

/-/

Gaius, Merlin, and Krysia waited just out of earshot while Gwen consulted with her father. She hated standing still, but she'd promised not to draw attention to her presence by the ever-worrying Leon, and pacing was likely to draw attention.

"This just all feels so sudden," Merlin said, "so out of character."

"Tom was always a bit impulsive," Krysia whispered. "And Gwen said he bought her a new dress, a very fine one, which we both thought odd. But I wouldn't have foreseen this."

"Why is a dress odd?"

She let out a short laugh and said, "You clearly have never had to purchase a dress, Merlin. Good ones, even with the smallest of fine detailing, are terribly expensive between labor and materials. Almost every dress Gwen has had since her mother passed she made herself from materials they already had or materials gifted to them by caring friends and neighbors. Daughters are expensive."

"Morgana has new dresses all the time," Merlin said.

Krysia rolled her eyes.

"You know that's different."

Before Merlin could argue, Gaius shushed them, because Gwen was returning.

"What did he say?" Merlin said.

"He said Tauren came to him at the forge," Gwen said, "offered to pay him a fortune for his help, not to make weapons, for an experiment or something."

"What kind of experiment?"

"Tauren didn't say. But he used some kind of stone…some kind of magic."

/-/

They had all agreed, Gaius, Krysia, and Merlin, that Gwen should stay with them until either somehow Tom was free (which Krysia didn't think likely) or until she had the time and space to know what to do next. Her distress alone was excuse to keep her near Gaius, in case she needed treatment. Merlin agreed to give up his bed in the meantime, and Gaius helped her settle, gave her something for sleep.

By this point, Krysia was beyond sleep, and she and Merlin waited for Gaius to finish treating Gwen. As soon as he closed the door to their quarters, he said, "She's sleeping now."

"The question is why did a sorcerer target Tom for help, of all people?" Krysia said.

"His forge," Gaius said. "It's the finest in the kingdom."

"You think Tom was lying?" Merlin said, surprised. "You think he really was making weapons?"

"No, I don't."

"Then what?"

"When Tom was arrested, they found gold on him."

Krysia sat down and said, "Yes, he was paid for the experiment."

Gaius shook his head and said, "From what Gwen was saying, Tauren's experiment bears all the hallmarks of alchemy."

Krysia nearly laughed. Merlin said, "But alchemy's impossible, isn't it?"

"To change the very nature of one thing to another has defeated all who have tried," Gaius conceded. Krysia appreciated how he always avoided words like impossible, but she supposed that was important for a man of science. "But if you used magic…"

"Do you think that's what woke me?" Merlin said.

Gaius hesitated, looking between Merlin and Krysia. Then he said, "It's possible, I suppose."

/-/

Merlin hadn't had to ask Arthur for the day off to watch over Gwen, Arthur came up with the idea on his own, but Krysia still had to work. She watched Uther carefully whenever she was near him, but apart from his frustration that Tauren was still at large, he was totally unperturbed by the situation.

On her lunch break, Krysia went back to check on Gwen. Before she could ask Merlin how she was doing, the door to Gaius's chambers opened and Morgana entered. It seemed she hadn't slept, either.

"Merlin," she said. "Krysia."

"Morgana," Krysia said.

Morgana looked through the open door to where Gwen was sleeping. She lowered her voice.

"How is she?" she said.

"She's doing okay," Merlin said.

"We should let her rest."

Merlin murmured agreement, and Krysia carefully closed the door. They all moved to the front of the main room to avoid waiting her.

"Morgana," Merlin said, "have you spoken to Uther? He must realize this is a mistake. Whatever Tom was doing, it wasn't plotting against the King."

"Obviously," Krysia said with a weak smile.

"I know that," Morgana said firmly. "Of course I do. But Uther…Uther only sees enemies."

"But Tom is the most gentle soul I've ever met," Merlin said.

"But he was seen with Tauren, and that makes him an enemy."

Morgana was about to leave, but Merlin speaking again made her pause.

"Then…there's little hope?" he said.

Morgana's face hardened, and for a moment Krysia was reminded of Uther. She'd made up her mind to do something, possibly something ill advised.

"There's no hope, Merlin," Morgana said. "None at all."

Krysia hesitated as Morgana left. She thought she ought to follow her, but she only had a few minutes before she had to head back to the council chambers. There wasn't time to chase after Morgana, and Merlin didn't know her as well. He wouldn't see the need to follow her, might even agree with whatever her dangerous impulse was.

Krysia could only hope that whatever she did, Morgana didn't make it worse.

/-/

Before she arrived the next morning, Krysia had already heard the news. Leon tried to warn her before she saw Uther that Tom had escaped in the night and was killed by the royal guard, but Krysia had pieced together as much from whispers and her own suspicion.

Uther was busy, had said nothing of the matter, and Krysia followed his lead. She thought they might make it through the day without incident, but Morgana stormed into the room spitting mad.

"You have blood on your hands, Uther Pendragon!" she snarled. "Blood that will never wash off!"

"May I remind you that you're speaking to your King," Uther said, with what Krysia thought was surprisingly generous, given her words.

Krysia wondered if he'd have been so generous if he suspected what Krysia did, that Morgana had stolen the cell key and essentially orchestrated Tom's failed escape. Krysia wondered if she felt any guilt for the situation, or if she was too angry at Uther to understand the way Tom's memory would be painted.

"May I remind you," Morgana came back, "that a king is wise and just. You are neither. You rule only with the sword."

"You know nothing of what it means to be King," Uther said, still with surprising patience. "The fate of Camelot rests in my hands. It's my responsibility to protect the people of this land from its enemies."

"Then the kingdom is doomed! For one by one you make enemies of us all!"

Krysia held her breath, and Uther began to rile ever-so-slightly to Morgana's escalating barbs.

"You speak treason, Morgana," Uther said.

"Only a mad man hears the truth as treason."

"Take care, child, or I'll have you restrained."

"You just try," Morgana said, head held high.

As a child, Morgana spoke to Uther this way not infrequently. The difference was now she was grown, she was old enough to know better, and frankly there were many times she should have had more consequences than she received. Uther wasn't precisely merciful, but he'd always been lenient with Morgana.

This time was clearly too far, and Krysia didn't disagree with that. What she didn't like to see was that Uther ordered the guards to not only take Morgana to the cells, but also to chain her to the cell wall, away from the door, fully clapped in irons.

When Leon and the guard collected Morgana, Leon and Krysia exchanged a nervous look, but when Krysia and the king were alone, he sat down. Krysia expected him to go back to work as though nothing had happened, but instead, he said her name.

"Yes, sire."

He looked up slowly, considering her for a long moment. Krysia waited, as she always did when he paused while looking at her anymore, for something bad to happen. Instead, he spoke to her gently, as he had when she was a skittish child.

"I had no choice," he said. It wasn't a question, nor had she thought she'd shown any outward distress at Morgana's imprisonment.

"No, sire," she said.

He nodded slowly.

"She has always challenged me. A man, a king, should be challenged. But there is a line between challenge and treason."

"Yes, sire," Krysia said. "May I say…" He nodded. "You often let her tread that line. I do not begrudge you the choice of punishment, but I do not think a reasonable person would argue that you were wrong to punish her for such a statement."

He hummed.

Krysia waited, wondering if she was going to have to say more. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and said, "I would like for you to tell Arthur about Morgana's imprisonment, Kyrsia. He'll hear about it soon enough, and I think it would be better coming from…a friend."

He was testing her, she realized. He wanted to be sure she wouldn't deliver the news to his son in a way that would paint him as a villain. She said she would tell him at once, and the king dismissed her.

She found Arthur alone in his chambers, hands shaking. He made to stand when she entered, but she shook her head. When the door closed, they both relaxed. For now, they could be old friends, and not prince and servant.

"I wish there had been another way," Arthur said.

"I know," she said. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against his window to see the mourners in the square. "It isn't your fault."

"Someone let him out," Arthur whispered. "Someone snuck him a key."

"You've not told your father?" Krysia said.

"Not yet."

"Don't," Krysia said. Arthur narrowed his eyes at her, and she shook her head. "I've a good idea that the guilty party is already in the prison cells, and I don't want to know what he'd do to her if he had this on her ledger as well."

Arthur considered her statement, "Not Gwen."

"No," Krysia said.

She explained in as level a way as possible the encounter between Morgana and Uther that she had just witnessed, and gave the express words of Uther's order so he would understand the conditions Morgana was in.

"You really ought to move where you keep you keys, you know," Krysia teased. "This isn't the first time someone's gotten in. It's not even the first time that it was Morgana."

"Alright, alright," Arthur said. "How long do you think she'll be down there?"

Krysia winced.

In normal circumstances, a night would have been enough for Uther's beliefs about the situation to change, or their tempers to cool. This was different. Morgana seemed to have lost her patience with the struggle about Uther's fairness. She wasn't sure they'd find a way back from this, and she wasn't completely sure she blamed Morgana.

"Probably until she apologizes," Krysia said.

Arthur paled.

"That's a problem for later," Arthur said. "Gwen—"

"She's staying with us for the moment," Krysia said. "But the home was her father's, leased for his work. She can't possible afford it."

"No, you're right," Arthur said. "And with the manner of her father's death, there would be a question over her employment as well."

They sat together in silence for a long moment, each trying to find solutions to these webs of problems. To say nothing of the still-escaped sorcerer and whatever his plot was.

"I've got an idea," Arthur said. "I need to speak with my father. You should check on Gwen. Stay away from the dungeon, alright?"

"Why does everyone think I'm looking to mix myself up in other people's problems?" Krysia said.

"I don't," Arthur said. "My father trusts you, but we all played together as children. And you know how persuasive Morgana can be. Better not to give her an opportunity to dig herself in a deeper hole and drag you in with her. Go. I should be along with news."

/-/

When Krysia arrived back in her chamber, Gwen was awake. Merlin asked if she had any news, and she said no. She could tell him about Morgana later, but for the moment, she didn't want to upset Gwen further.

"I'll get some food," Merlin said.

Krysia sat beside Gwen on Merlin's bed and began to play with her friend's hair, the way Gwen used to do for her when they were young and Krysia would sometimes be so haunted by things she couldn't say that she would burst into tears for no reason.

"You're supposed to be tending the king," Gwen said.

"I've got a short break," Krysia whispered. "Were you able to get any sleep?"

"Some," Gwen said.

Then she went silent. Krysia was careful not to press. She understood that some wounds were difficult to discuss. Gwen processed by talking, and when she was ready to speak, Krysia was confident that she would.

When Merlin can back in, he was about to say something—probably to announce food, when he stopped short of them.

"Alright?" he said.

Gwen started slightly.

"I just don't understand," she said. "Why did he try to escape? His trial was this morning."

Merlin and Krysia exchanged a look, but before either could decide what to answer, there was a soft knock at the door. Arthur entered, and Gwen stood quickly. Krysia followed her to standing.

"Sire," Gwen said.

"Guinevere," Arthur said. He looked tired, even more tired than when Krysia had left him. She wondered what his talk with his father had been like. "I…want you to know that your job is safe. And that your home is yours for life. I guarantee you that. I…know that under the circumstances it's not much, but anything you want, anything you need, all you have to do is ask."

He was turning away, but then he paused, and he turned back to them.

"I'm sorry."

Gwen, stunned, said, "Thank you, sire."

When he left and the three of them sat down for a quick lunch, Gwen said, "I think I should sleep in my own bed tonight."

Krysia and Merlin exchanged a startled look. It was very soon, and she was clearly not feeling fully like herself.

"If you're sure," Krysia said with a smile. "Know that you're always welcome to stay, if you change your mind."

Gwen thanked her, and Krysia wondered if Arthur faired half as well in convincing Uther to release Morgana.

A/N:

To Like-a-Slasher-Film:

Yes, I also feel bad for Leon, but…I think I've come up with a plan where in the end, no one loses out. It's a long-game. That's all I'm going to say about that. But you're not wrong. He's got it bad.

-C