Taking advantage of a brief moment in the talks that found the two next to each other, Merlin lowered his voice and pulled Arthur aside.
"What do we do if Lancelot doesn't find anything?"
"I don't know. We're going to need more than dreams to prove guilt to everyone's satisfaction. Because it does need to be everyone's. When we come forward with what we know or suspect, it's not just my father we're going to need to convince. It's the druids as well."
"We at least have Iseldir on our side."
"Ah your highness," said Sybil coming over, "I wonder if you could share some insight into the issue your father and I are currently discussing?"
Reluctantly, Arthur left Merlin's side.
As the day wore on towards noon, Uther kept looking towards the doorway more and more frequently. It appeared he was expecting something, and the longer it did not occur the more troubled he grew.
The commotion started as hurrying footsteps in the distance and the vague sound of shouting and raised voices. At first not everyone in the room seemed to be aware of it. But both Arthur and Merlin exchanged questioning glances. The footsteps were coming this way now and Uther had heard them. He looked up sharply towards the door, tense. And then a castle guard, together with Sir Leon, entered into the room, both of their expressions grave. Leon crossed quickly towards Uther and, bending down, whispered something in his ear.
Uther's expression turned to one of complete rage. He stood sharply and turned to Iseldir, his expression black. He opened his mouth to speak, but Arthur jumped in hurriedly, hoping to give him time to consider his words.
"Leon? What's happened?"
Leon glanced towards Uther, and he too seemed to sense the importance of giving the king some time to compose himself, and he spoke hurriedly,
"Mathis has been found dead. And the Druid Relveer was locked in his chambers, apparently with the use of magic. We had to break the door down. Though at the moment he refuses to say what happened."
"What?" Iseldir was now also standing to his feet. He half glanced towards Merlin as if seeking an explanation from him.
"Mathis is dead?" Arthur blinked in surprise. "How?"
"It looks like he was stabbed."
"Murdered!" thundered Uther. The whole room seemed to vibrate with it.
Elaine stood. There was a hint of regality in the way she met Uther's eye and faced him. Her voice was calm and level as she spoke. "No druid would kill your advisor. We are all here to seek peace and reconciliation. I would, however, ask why one of ours has been found a prisoner, locked in his room?"
"Locked in with magic!" hissed Uther icily. "It is clear that it is one of your kind's doing. Not ours."
"Our kind?" snapped Ernald.
"I am sure everyone is acting in good faith," broke in Gwen smoothly. "There is an explanation for these things and we need to get to the bottom of it to discover the truth, not devolve into arguments."
"Since the druids have arrived here, Morgana has been attacked and now a man who was both an advisor and a friend is dead! You call that good faith?" demanded Uther, turning on her.
Gwen did not blink. "I think we know too little at this point to be accusing anyone. The truth has to be reached."
"Something is happening," conceded Isledir. "But that does not mean that what we are trying to accomplish here with these talks is any less-"
"Get out!" Uther snapped.
"What?"
"Father!" Arthur exclaimed. He reached out a hand and laid it on Uther's arm. Uther looked towards Arthur.
For a moment the two stared at each other. And then Arthur's hand fell away and Uther took a deep steadying breath. "Go back to your rooms and we shall discuss this in the morning, in the meantime my guards will search the castle and Relveer will be questioned. If we continue this discussion now…"
The sentence was left unsaid but the implication was all too clear.
Uther was standing on the castle wall as Arthur approached him. Dusk had fallen and the sound drifted up from town of shops closing and the people returning to their homes. Smoke was starting to climb up out of chimneys and down below in the courtyard Arthur could see Gaius crossing the cobblestones towards his chambers.
It all seemed surreal. The people of Camelot just going about their day, as everything cracked and twisted in the castle. Arthur supposed this was the price that came with the crown. You bore the burden so that the people could live in peace. That was the price and the duty.
His father's hands were clasped tightly behind his back, and he was staring out across the horizon, his expression hard and unreadable.
Arthur opened his mouth, but Uther spoke suddenly.
"I know what you're going to say. You are going to remind me of my promise to make peace with magic." He sighed, his expression suddenly one of pure exhaustion. It struck Arthur that he'd never seen his father this tired before. Or this troubled. He wondered briefly who Uther turned to when he was troubled. Arthur could speak to Gwen or Merlin. But Uther? Once he might have confided in Arthur, but the distance between them had grown into an ocean of silence. Uther looked towards his son. His expression twisted. "I pray to every power of good that you never look back on your life and see nothing but regret."
"Father…"
"Your mother was a beautiful woman."
Arthur blinked in surprise. He had rarely heard his father speak of her.
Uther looked back off into the distance. "But she was more than beautiful. It was her heart I loved. Magic took her away from me. But I also did it. If I hate magic for the price it had me pay, I must hate myself. Facing the past…shows that clearly. I failed as a husband and now I failed you. I swore I would never lose you like I lost your mother. The price I had paid to have you was too high to allow for anything else."
"You…won't."
"I already have," said Uther. "We have never been the same since that spell that took your from my memory. And now I don't see how we ever shall be."
"Father…maybe we can't be the same but, we can be something better. You don't have to hate magic or yourself. Maybe, maybe, a druid we have invited here is angry at what has happened. Maybe they are causing trouble. And I am sorry for Mathias. I know he was your friend for many years. But you can be better than whoever is causing these troubles. You can rise above it and show yourself for the king and man I know you can be. You can forgive."
"How Arthur? If I cannot forgive myself…how can I forgive magic?" Uther shook his head. "Go."
"Father-"
"Leave me. Please."
Arthur turned, and hating himself for not knowing what else to do, walked away.
There was a knock on the door. Ernald had been sitting in his chair, waiting; his face pale and drawn, his expression troubled. At the sound, he looked up sharply. The door opened and a figure entered.
The visitor nodded towards him. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," he said, standing to his feet. "I am prepared."
"Good."
"There is only…only one thing." His hand shook a little. "You will look after my people will you not? Without me to guide them…there will be no natural leader. But they will look up to you and follow if you would lead them."
The figure nodded. "Of course. This ritual will ensure that all our people will be safe from now on. And I personally will make sure that your people know of your sacrifice for them and how much you cared for them. You name will never be forgotten. And I will look after them. You have my word."
"Good. Good." He nodded several times, bit his lip, and then, squaring his shoulders stepped forward. "I am ready."
"Then it's time. Uther's hatred for magic has been stirred again and his suspicions are far reaching. Any attack now will be seen by him as coming from all magic. There will be no compromises. No peace talks. There will be only war, and a war we will win with our true leader to take us into the glorious future. It is time. It is time for the true Emrys to be summoned."