"Sire," Gaius said, "how many more men are you going to lose in this quest?"

Krysia almost dropped her jaw before she caught herself. Instead, she stood a bit straighter, careful not to show any favor for Gaius's statement.

"As many as it takes," Uther said.

She had warned Gaius that Uther had become only more determined in the search, but neither she nor Gaius had anticipated how bad it had gotten.

"I need to speak to you as a friend," Gaius said.

Krysia startled when the king gave her a look that plainly said he wanted her to get rid of Gaius.

"Perhaps it would be better," she said softly, "if you came back for this conversation as a later time."

Gaius was unmoved, crossing to the other side of the table where the king had spread his maps. She chewed the inside of her lip to avoid showing her frustration.

"I'll speak to you as your physician," Gaius said. "This is madness. She has been missing for more than a year now. When are you going to stop?"

"When Morgana is found," the king said, not looking up.

Krysia and Gaius shared a frown, but neither dared say another word.

/-/

Leon was examining the gate guards when one of the men on the wall called out that the prince had returned. He braced himself for more bad news to be delivered to the king. Perhaps it would be the same as last time: no trail, three dead. Perhaps this time it would be worse.

He was unprepared to see the Lady Morgana riding on one of the horses, pale and thin, but very much alive.

Leon called out for the gates to be opened. He turned to the nearest guard.

"Inform Gaius that he will be needed at the Lady Morgana's chambers," he said. "At once."

/-/

Krysia watched as Gaius examined Morgana, checking the speed of her pulse, looking at her eyes, feeling her skin and throat. She was pale, certainly, but Krysia knew that being out for a day or two in the forest would do that. Morgana did not offer stories, and Gaius did not ask.

"You need to rest," he finally told her, and Morgana nodded.

"I'll stay with her," Gwen said.

"Let Gaius know when she wakes," Krysia said. "She'll need to be checked again to see how she's coming along"

Gwen nodded, and Gaius went to leave. Uther, who had been watching urgently, followed.

"How is she?" Uther whispered.

"She'll be fine," Gaius said.

"There's nothing wrong with her?"

Gaius looked to Krysia, who sighed and said, "There don't appear to be physical concerns, but she's undergone gods knows what. It will take time to know how greatly she's been affected, sire."

"May I see her?" Uther said.

Gaius hesitated, then said, "Best wait 'til morning."

"Yes," Uther said, forcing a smile. "Of course. Gaius?" Gaius paused, about to go into the corridor. "Thank you."

Gaius bowed his head, and Krysia followed him to the corridor, where Merlin was waiting, anxious.

"Are you alright?" Krysia said.

"She's sleeping," Gaius said, raising a hand before Merlin could ask to see her too.

"Did she say anything about me?"

Krysia inhaled and led the way back to Gaius's chambers. She had almost forgotten that Merlin had poisoned her to save Camelot. Surely she would remember that. Wouldn't she?

"Nothing as yet," Gaius said.

Krysia hummed, then said, "We can't expect her to say nothing."

"Does she know your secret, Merlin?" Gaius said. "Does she know you have magic?"

"No, she doesn't. No one does."

"Good," Gaius said firmly. "Because if Uther finds out…"

"It's the poison we're worried about," Krysia said. "She must remember that."

Gaius waved this off and said, "You had no choice. Camelot was dying. Morgana was the source of the enchantment. Either you poisoned her or the kingdom fell."

"Uther won't know that," Merlin said. "All she'll say is I tried to kill her."

"We can't be sure, Merlin," Gaius whispered

When they were in Gaius's chambers with the door safely shut, Krysia drew her arms around her and said, "What can we do if Merlin's tried?"

"Let's just wait and see what tomorrow brings." Gaius said, with the tone of a man who wanted to end a conversation.

/-/

The next morning, Krysia went on the king's bidding to check on Morgana, and she entered her old friend's chambers to find Arthur already seated at Morgana's side, hearing her story. Neither of them said anything as she entered, but they continued to talk about the bandits who had held her. The idea of bandits seemed strange, given how she was kidnapped.

Merlin entered as Morgana came up to date.

"I was kept in a cell for almost a year," she said. "I thought I'd go mad."

"How did you escape?" Arthur said.

"Water, my lady?" Krysia said, offering a drink. Morgana waved it off.

"They moved me about a week ago," Morgana said. "I don't know why. It may have been the patrol from Camelot."

Krysia & Arthur looked at each other, startled.

"The patrol found you?" Arthur said.

"I thought I was going to be free. But then I saw them killed. Every one of them cut down. But that night the bandits were distracted by their spoils. I took my chance. When I saw you, I couldn't believe it."

Morgana looked over Arthur's shoulder at Merlin, and a little bit of the color drained from her face. Krysia looked at Merlin, then said, "My lady, you should rest a bit now. You can tell more later."

Arthur stood, smiling, and he pressed Morgana's hand.

"Everything's going to be alright. You're safe now."

"Merlin?" Morgana said, as Merlin went to follow Arthur out. "I want to speak to you."

The tone implied very strongly that she wanted to speak with him privately, so Krysia bowed her head and followed Arthur out.

"To think that she saw the patrol," Arthur said softly. "To have been so close. Even if we couldn't have saved that patrol, perhaps we could have saved the three men we lost if we'd known we were in the right area."

"The answers to a search always seem obvious once they've been discovered," Krysia said. "She is home and she is safe and she appears to be well, all things considered. It may be best to look toward the future."

Arthur nodded, smiled, and the two of them returned to the king to give the details of Morgana's account, and an update on her condition.

/-/

Krysia stood near the king as Sir Brennis gave an account of supply flows. Sir Brennis hated this particular role, but he knew it was an important one, one that Leon once fulfilled, and would give him more responsibilities if he performed it well.

"The grain stores are running low," he said, "but we're expecting supplies from the northern borders before the end of the week. That's enough—"

Uther waved his hand to cut off Sir Brennis as Morgana entered.

"Leave us," he said, and Brennis and others giving reports bowed and retreated from the throne room. Krysia hesitated, thinking that she should give them some space, but Uther did not address her, so she remained. "You should sit," he said to Morgana, who waved off the insistence.

"No, no," Morgana said, forcing a smile as she crossed the floor. He took her hands in his, and he looked almost besotted, so pleased he was to see her. "That's all I've done for the past year—sit…and pray that you hadn't given up on me."

"Oh, never," Uther said.

Morgana looked at Krysia, who felt she was expected to speak.

"It is true, my lady," Krysia said with a small smile. "He has spoken of little else since your absence began."

Morgana bowed her head lightly and said, "I don't know why. I wouldn't blame you. You've done more for me than any guardian. You've always cared for me, loved me like I was your own daughter. And yet I've insulted you, defied you, hurt you. I don't know why you put up with me. And I promise that in the future I will show you the love and respect that you deserve."

Krysia had known her friend a long time, and she had always believed that Morgana was the best liar among them. She was devoted to her story, whatever the story might be, and had always been careful to think about her details. But Krysia had seen Morgana tell a thousand lies, and she knew where the weak spots in the armor were. She wasn't sure what Morgana was wishing to say, or thinking of, but it was weakening her lie.

Perhaps too much of this suspicion showed on Krysia's face, because Morgana met her gaze as Uther embraced Morgana, and the two women stared at each other with a lack of emotion between them that Krysia had never felt before.

"I will leave you to our counsel," Morgana said, smiling at Uther again before she left the room.

And whatever the lie was, Uther was none the wiser.

/-/

When the council was dismissed for the day, Krysia and the king followed Gaius out of the throne room, and Uther waited until they were in an empty corridor to speak.

"How is Morgana?" he said, more to Gaius than Krysia.

Gaius shrugged slightly, then turned to Krysia.

"In the amount I have seen her," Krysia said softly, "I would say that she has rallied well and appears to be in remarkable condition, physically and otherwise."

"She was always like that as a child," Uther said brightly, almost proudly. "Very brave. She inherited much from her father."

"Gorlois was a great man," Gaius said.

"Indeed," Uther said, as though he'd been torn from a reverie. "I trust she will be well enough to attend the feast?"

"It will be a relatively subdued affair," Krysia said, frowning. "I've arranged it thus in hope that she might be well enough."

They turned to Gaius, who shrugged again and sad, "I don't see why not."

To both Krysia and Gaius's surprise, the king beamed, clapped Gaius's shoulder, and said, "Thank you, Gaius."

When the king walked away, Gaius said, "Is there something you're not telling me, Krysia?"

She nibbled at a weak spot on her lip, puzzling that very question. Was there something she wasn't saying, or was it all in her head?

"I'm not sure," she said. "She doesn't seem different to you?"

"No more than would be expected," Gaius said.

Yes, Krysia knew that would be his answer. An ordeal even half of what she described would be excruciating. But everything she'd told them, plus having been poisoned…it was a great ordeal indeed.

/-/

Krysia was certain that Uther's glass was refilled for the toast, which she knew he wanted to make, and she paused, looking around the throne room for the feeling that someone was looking at her. She saw Leon looking up at the head table, smiling, but that was the closest she could find. Before she could puzzle out precisely who he was looking at, Morgana leaned in to say something to Uther, who nodded, stood, and held his glass aloft. The room went silent quickly.

"Standing here," he said, "seeing so many happy faces, it seems almost like a dream. I can tell you I have not felt like this in a long time."

Krysia began pouring the other glasses at the head table, including some water in the cup of a baron at the end of the table who had already drank far too much.

"Wine," he said.

"You want the indignity of making a fool of yourself?" Krysia whispered.

He pouted but let her fill his glass.

"What," Morgana said gleefully, "drunk?"

Laughter rippled through the throne room, and Krysia forced a smile.

"Drunk with happiness," Uther said. "I would've searched the entire world—the sea, skies, stars…for that smile. To have it stolen from me was like a blade to my heart. Morgana, there are no words. You mean more to me than you will ever know."

Krysia grabbed her own glass, hissing at herself for not recalling to fill it earlier.

"Please just one toast," she whispered.

"To the Lady Morgana!" Uther called out.

All those gathered echoed him, including Krysia, and she sipped her wine.

It wasn't long before the king said he needed some air, and Krysia cleared away one of his plates. She was carrying it around to the side when she felt a hand on her arm. She smiled when she saw Leon there, smiling at her. His cheeks were a bit pink. She'd have to tell Clay to stop serving him.

"Did you need anything?" she said, setting the plate on the stack to be removed to be washed.

"I just needed to speak with you," he said.

"Yes?"

He laughed, and it didn't sound like his usual laugh, but something more uncomfortable.

"Will you walk with me?" he said, holding his hands out to her.

Krysia looked around, startled. The feast was far from over, and the king still hadn't returned.

"Leon, I'm working."

"You've done a beautiful job," he said, taking her hands in his. "Everyone is having a brilliant time. Please, no one will miss you for a few minutes."

She looked around the throne room again, and she had to admit, he was right. Everything was going very well, and she hadn't had a moment to rest since Morgana had woken yesterday morning. And if Leon was this drunk, she didn't want him going off by himself and having a fall.

She let him lead her out of the throne room and she followed him into the open air. It was a beautiful night, unseasonably warm with a very gentle breeze. Leon squeezed her hand in his lightly as they walked, and she stopped, thinking he must want to say something to her here.

"You look beautiful tonight," he said. "You always look—I mean, you are always…" He laughed again, that strange nervous laugh she'd never heard from him before. "I practiced this, I promise."

"Practiced what?" Krysia said, although she was a bit distracted. She could have sworn she'd heard something that sounded like someone in distress, but it had been quick.

Leon's glove traced over the back of her hand, and he said, "Morgana's return has me believing in miracles right now, so I thought if I ever said it, perhaps was the night."

"Said…sorry, did you hear that?"

Leon frowned, listening, but he didn't have to wait long before the distressed screams sounded again. Their eyes widened together, and they hurried to the sound.

Krysia had not expected to see the king on the ground, curled up and screaming in distress, but there he was. Leon was equally dumbfounded.

"Get Gaius," she said. "And Arthur."

She started toward the king, and Leon grabbed her arm, much more sober than he had been a moment ago.

"I'll not leave you here alone with him like this," he said.

She held in her frustration at his mother hen attitude again and she took his hand off her arm, continuing forward to the king. She moved slowly and took careful steps to avoid startling him, and she knelt beside him.

"Sire?" she said gently. He made no sign of hearing her. "Sire, please, are you alright?"

She reached out to touch his shoulder, and he lifted his head to look at her, grabbing her hand. Leon took a step forward, but Krysia raised her free hand and Leon froze again.

"It's alright," Krysia said softly. "You're alright. What's happened, sire?"

"Zosia," he said. "Zosia."

Krysia hesitated, not sure what to do with Leon still standing there. She looked up slowly as Uther began to mutter, mostly incoherent things. Leon looked about ready to draw his sword.

"Get Gaius," she said gently. "Now, please."

He bowed his head and hurried away, and Krysia turned her attention back to Uther. She was surprised when he curled again so that his head was in her lap, and he wrapped his arms around her arm, hugging it to his chest.

"Sire, it's alright," she said, patting his shoulder as she would a child. He relaxed into her, but she could feel his tears roll onto her hand. "Sire, you're alright, I promise."

"Ygraine was there," he muttered. "Ygraine and Zosia, in the well. Zosia."

She closed her eyes, nervous and trying to decide what to do. She caressed his head gently, and he relaxed a bit more, sighing.

Gaius came quickly, and he looked nervous when he approached, kneeling down beside her.

"Sire?" he said.

"He said something about his wife in the well," Krysia whispered, still caressing his head. "And…and…Zosia."

Gaius's eyes widened, and he nodded.

"We need to get him to his room," Gaius whispered. "Sire, can you hear me?"

Uther mumbled something unintelligible against Krysia's leg. Gaius stood again and said, "We'll have got get some knights to move him. Some of the most trustworthy. I'll tell Arthur."

"I'll just…stay here, then, shall I?" Krysia said, not sure she could have moved Uther if she wanted to.

She stayed there with the king, who muttered a few more things she couldn't make out as she continued to soothe him. When the knights returned with Gaius to gather the king, it took a firm hand from Geraint to pry the king off Krysia's arm. She brushed off her skirts when they carried him away, and Gaius held Krysia back from following straight away.

"Did he say anything else?" Gaius whispered.

"Nothing I could tell," Krysia whispered back. "Gaius, what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know yet," Gaius said. "But if he's saying Zosia's name, or Ygraine's for that matter, you need to be careful. The closer the past is to the fore of his mind—"

"Yes," she said, following the knights. "I'd rather not die."

A/N:

WE'VE ARRIVED. Happy Season 3, everybody. Uther is not well, Krysia is suspicious, and Leon has the worst timing ever.

-C