Krysia sat as still as she could while Enid plaited her hair. She was already second-guessing the rich red-and-gold ensemble Enid had selected for the day, particularly with the reminder of Lord Godwyn's warning, that Uther might try to push her and Arthur together: it didn't seem wise to wear the Pendragon colors more than necessary.

"There," Enid chirped, her pretty round face smiling back at Krysia from the mirror. "You look lovely."

"Yes, and I won't even be late for breakfast," Krysia said sadly.

"I don't know why you complain," Enid said, winking. "If I were invited to be a lady and have meals with the king and his son and ward, I would be thrilled."

"That's the trouble," Krysia said, drawing up her skirts and arranging her dress so she didn't trip over herself. "It wasn't really an invitation."

Enid began to sing to herself, as he always did, while she changed the sheets on Krysia's bed. Krysia told herself she could always fix it later, and she made her way to the weekly breakfast she shared with the Pendragons in the council chamber. She smiled when Uther smiled at her, and she took the seat he gestured to at his side. She'd barely sat when Morgana entered and sat beside Krysia.

"The building works in the lower town have been delayed," Uther said to Arthur. "Ensure it doesn't happen again."

"I'll see to it," Arthur said.

"Good morning, Morgana," Uther said, but she didn't greet him.

Merlin came forward to pour their drinks.

"Thank you," Krysia said, sparing Merlin a smile. He went to pour Morgana's, but she put her hand over her cup.

"No, thank you," Morgana said.

"Anything the matter?" Uther said.

Krysia carefully watched her former friend, trying to puzzle if she was truly put out, or putting it on.

"It's Gwen," Morgana said. "She didn't turn up for work this morning."

"Gwen?" Krysia said. "That's unusual. She's highly punctual, and even if she were ill she'd send word."

"I know," Morgana said, "it's strange. I hope nothing's wrong."

Arthur and Krysia looked at each other across the table. She was wondering what Morgana might be up to, but she could see that Arthur was worried.

"You needn't worry, Morgana," Uther said. "After all, if your maid can no longer be relied upon, we can easily replace her."

Krysia set down her fork and pushed back her plate, caught between her concern for Gwen, her concern for Arthur, and the horror she felt at hearing Uther say that.

"I'm sure she'll turn up soon enough," Arthur said.

"Yes," Krysia said. "In the meantime, let me know if you require anything of Enid."

Morgana smiled her very best smile—a sure sign she was hiding something—and she said, "That's very kind."

/-/

Leon paused on his way to the council chamber and knocked on Krysia's door, almost on a whim. He was mildly surprised to see only Enid answering, but then he recalled it was the day when Krysia took breakfast with the king.

"Good morning, Sir Leon," Enid chirped. "Was there something you required?"

His disappointment at not seeing Krysia faded slightly. It was hard not to feel pleasant around Enid, kind as she was.

"No, I simply wished to bid the lady good morning," he said. "I expect I'll see her soon."

Enid's smile went a bit sly, and she said, "Forgive me for saying so, sir, but the Lady Krysia is a very lucky woman to have such a handsome knight attending her wishes."

Leon's neck went hot, and he was ashamed of the nervous laugh that escaped his lips. He cleared his throat and forced his lips to a more serious expression.

"She…she doesn't…?"

"My mistress isn't aware, unfortunately," Enid said in a whisper. "I believe love is one of those things that either hits you immediately and is impossible to ignore or sneaks up on you, and then everyone else sees it first."

Leon hummed, thinking how quickly she and Gwaine formed their bond. Immediate and impossible to ignore, indeed.

"I don't wish her to know, Enid," he said softly. "That's very important to me. I know there are those who think teasing is pleasant, but—"

"I quite understand, sir," Enid said, bowing her head lightly. "If she were ever to become aware, it will not be from me."

He thanked her and hurried to the council chamber.

/-/

Arthur and Krysia left the chamber at nearly the same time, both following Merlin out.

"Go to Gwen's house," Arthur said to Merlin. "Find out what's wrong. And Merlin, as quick as you can."

"Yes, sire," Merlin said.

"I'll go too," Krysia said, but both men said no before she could finish the final word.

"Father wanted you at the council meeting today," Arthur said, and Krysia resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

No wonder Enid had selected this dress.

/-/

Uther attributed his lack of focus to the weather. The day was not warm, but it was bright, and that led the council chamber to be unseasonably warm. There was a great deal of business to review, and the Lady Krysia sat at the end of the table, as her mother had once done, listening to the business with her thoughtful expression.

But she wore red and gold today, which was something her mother never did in Camelot: Zosia's way of teasing him. She assured him often that he didn't need a bigger head. The gold trim on Krysia's pale flesh was entrancing in this light, seeming almost to make her glow.

Especially now that Arthur was coming to him with the most ridiculous waste of time about Morgana's servant.

"The guards saw her leave the palace at the usual time," Arthur said. "After that, nothing."

"Why are you telling me this?" Uther said.

Arthur looked at Krysia, who stared back at him, silent, before he turned back to his father.

"Sire, I have reason to believe that Guinevere has been kidnapped."

"You're sure?" Krysia said over Morgana's gasp. "Kidnapped?"

"I'd like to organize a search party," Arthur said.

"I hardly think that would be appropriate," Uther said.

"Father?" Arthur said, confused.

"Sire," Krysia said, "I believe he may have a point."

Uther shook his head, and he said, "She's just a serving girl."

There, Krysia's nostrils flickered, flaring for a moment just as Zosia's did when he'd upset her.

"She's the maid to the King's ward," Arthur said.

Krysia's face was lightly flushed, and he had a feeling she was about to chide him as well, so he raised a hand and said, "Very well. Send a squad of guards to search the lower town."

"Surely the countryside as well?" Krysia said.

"They have until nightfall," Uther said.

Krysia and Arthur exchanged a look, and Uther wondered for a moment whether there was an opportunity here. He would have to think on it.

"Father," Arthur said, "I'm not sure I can achieve—"

"Arthur, I have a kingdom to protect. I cannot waste precious resources on a servant, whatever the circumstances."

She was still upset, he could tell, but she would learn. He knew Krysia could be reasonable, practical. Yes, he had the beginnings of a very good idea indeed.

/-/

The castle was abuzz with rumor when Gwen turned up again the morning with no explanation, but Krysia followed the news through Arthur as she could. Cenred was involved, she'd been taken to the Castle of Fyrien, and she was let go to lure Arthur there in order to rescue her brother, Elyan, whom Krysia hadn't seen for years, not since his mother passed.

Krysia had told Arthur she wanted to go along to help, but Arthur had refused.

"Someone has to stay behind and keep my father busy, in case—"

She hadn't let him finish the sentence. He agreed to take Merlin with him, so she had to hope that they all made it back alright.

Now for their ultimate test as she had dinner with Arthur and Uther. Uther had seated her beside Arthur, at the far end of the table from himself, which was at once a relief and a discomfort. And worse, Enid had decided to dress her in red and gold again.

"Father," Arthur said a bit into dinner.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"It's, er…it's slightly awkward," Arthur said.

Krysia didn't bother hiding her smile. Part of making the lie work was making it look like he had a witness to the wager in question.

"Best get it over with," she said.

Arthur gave her a perturbed look, then said, "I was drawn into a wager…and I lost."

"Arthur," his father said, "you know how I disapprove of gambling."

"I know," Arthur said, "I'm sorry."

Krysia cut her meat and said, "I think you'll recall that I told you at the time that this was a poor idea."

Uther still looked disapproving, and he said, "How much do you owe?"

"Two silk dresses," Arthur said.

Uther looked startled, then said, "Excuse me?"

"I think the terms would have allowed for the silk to have the made," Krysia said, not looking up from her plate as she cut more meat. "Which isn't a small amount of silk, I grant you. It was very specific."

Uther narrowed his eyes and said, "What kind of wager was this, exactly?"

Arthur looked to Krysia, and she hoped he didn't pull her into this.

"It was Morgana's idea," Arthur said.

Uther laughed, relaxing. Gambling was an evil, but if Morgana was involved, the whole thing became a rather good joke. Yes, it was so obvious now that Morgana was his child; it's a wonder Krysia didn't think of it before.

"I did warn him," Krysia said. "The trouble is, she was terribly specific in her expectations, and he cannot obtain the cloth in Camelot. He'll have to leave for a few days."

Uther continued to laugh, and he said, "I'd get going if I were you. Don't keep her waiting. She'll have your guts."

"Thank you, father," Arthur said

He tapped Krysia's foot with his under the table as a way of celebrating without being caught, and she tapped his boot right back.

/-/

With both Arthur and Morgana away seeing to the matter of silk, which Uther couldn't help being amused by (Morgana was so like her mother sometimes, and Vivienne had always been mischievous), Uther had requested that Krysia join him in his quarters for dinner instead of dining in the council chambers.

She was prompt, as she had always been, and he was waiting for her with the food plated and wine poured. He stood as she entered, and for a moment he was transported decades back, watching Zosia enter his chambers in one of her favorite green dresses, looking the kind of beautiful that made him feel like there was a hand grabbing his throat and tugging him toward her. A dangerous beauty.

"You look lovely," he said, avoiding looking at her bodice as best he could. This dress went lightly off her shoulders, which were beautifully curved.

No, shouldn't look there, either.

"Thank you," Krysia said. She sat, and he sat, and he watched her consider her plate before lifting her fork.

"I thought this might be a good opportunity for us to discuss your future," he said.

Krysia froze for a moment, and then she smiled a smile he knew was forced.

"My future?"

He took a sip of wine, silently lamenting that this wine was not as good as the ones she always selected for him. She could train the servants in many things, but she couldn't give them her noise, her palette. But never mind.

"You have had some time to acclimate," he said, "but life is not simply gowns and feasts and tourneys. You have extensive properties, my lady, and it's time we discussed the details of your claims."

She cut her food as swiftly and elegantly as she did everything, and she said without looking up, "Is there some reason for the urgency of the discussion, sire?"

He rubbed his hand against the edge of the table and decided it was better to break this in gently. That had been the mistake with Princess Elena, as Godwyn had suggested, the pushing. If he presented the logic of the match and allowed them to realize themselves that they were a good match, it would all work out.

"No urgency, my lady," he said, "simply opportunity. It is rare these days that we have a moment alone."

She quirked an eyebrow at him over her goblet and said, "You are the king, sire. Surely we could have moments alone whenever you wished."

Uther cleared his throat, very pointedly looking at his silverware and not her bodice.

"Yes, well, there are often other things to attend to. But never mind that. Gaius tells me you've done some readings on your family history."

"I have."

"And your findings?" he said.

Krysia set down her silverware and said, "House Adaire goes back to the ancient kings, always in Andor, of high importance throughout without dominance. The male line went defunct with my grandfather, Lord Inthorn, and the holdings of Andor went to House Elmere. I had a harder time understanding how House Elmere gained prominence in Powys."

"Ah," Uther said, sparing a smile. "That was more recent. Elmere was…not a minor house, but not the major house in the area, but house Pernelle were not terribly distant cousins. They went defunct in both male and female lines, and the closest claim went to your father. That would have been when you were quite small."

Krysia nodded, pushing her potatoes around her plate. Uther cleared his throat and asked if she'd found anything else.

"All the lands were claimed by the crown at the burning of Malgrave," Krysia whispered. "I couldn't find record of either Malgrave or Carneath being repaired or restored or cared for in any way. So from what I see, I don't actually have any lands."

Uther cleared his throat again. He'd given a lot of thought to how he wanted to present this to her. He wanted it to be good news, joyous and positive, but he also wanted her to understand that he was presenting it on the understanding that she know it was a generosity on his part. Perhaps then she would make the right choices, and perhaps even make the best choices, where Arthur was concerned.

"Since your discovery," he said, "I have been working on how best to honor your status without causing instability. I have changed the status of those lands with the treasury. They are yours, held in trust until your marriage by the crown, as are Morgana's lands. You have a couple of options I wished to discuss with you on that matter—"

"Options?" Krysia said.

This would be the test. He squeezed his fork a bit tighter, forced a smile, and said, "You are currently styled as the Lady Morgana is styled, a lady of a major house. But with two such large houses to your name, it is almost inappropriate for you to be styled so low. If you would wish to break from Camelot and style yourself as a princess—"

"I have no interest in breaking from Camelot at this time," Krysia said quickly, looking extremely uncomfortable. "And likewise, no interest to be a princess. I feel barely qualified to be a lady."

Uther relaxed, confident that she was still malleable enough to keep under Camelot. Now it was a question of whether he had enough time and influence to convince her of the benefits of being a princess.

"Very well, my lady," he said. "I'll have the royal treasurer meet with you this week to discuss your finances, if you would wish."

She seemed relieved, and she assured him she would very much wish that. Perhaps the idea of maintaining her finances appealed to her sense of purpose. Either way, he was not losing Powys and Andor tonight, and if he played it right, he could tie them to the crown forever.

/-/

Krysia went to the forge as soon as Arthur's return was announced at court, and she found Elyan there, so like his father, suddenly a man instead of the boy she remembered.

Elyan turned and smiled when he saw her, looking her up and down and brightening. She held out the little packet she'd brought him, and he opened it and saw the lemon cake she'd smuggled him from the kitchens. He brightened further, breaking a piece off for her, which she accepted.

"Gwen told me your fortunes had changed," Elyan said. "You look beautiful, my lady. It suits you."

"Leon said that, too," Krysia said, sitting on a nearby table.

Elyan smiled and said, "Isn't that his mother's pendant?"

Krysia touched it, having quite forgotten that she'd worn it. She pulled it along the chain and smiled weakly. Lady Evaine had been such a benefit to her, to Elyan, and to Gwen when they were children.

"It's so good to see you again," Krysia whispered. "And to see you alive and well. I know Gwen's worried."

"It's strange to be home," Elyan said. He hesitated, then said, "I should have come back when he died."

"You should have," she said, "but you can't undo it. You're here now. Focus on that."

Elyan smiled, bowed a little, and Krysia threw a bit of sawdust at him. He laughed.

"Don't," she said. "Gods, don't do that, not when we're alone. You're my friend, Elyan. Let me feel normal, even for a little while."

"You are normal, Krysia," he said. "It's just a different normal than you had before."

She wanted to believe him, but she knew he could never understand. Pretty words, but she'd just had Uther ask her whether she wanted to style herself as a princess. She firmly believed that nothing would ever feel normal for the rest of her life.

A/N:

I did it! I squeezed it into one chapter! So we have another chapter before we get to the Eye of the Phoenix (sorry), but Gwaine soon, I promise.

-C