Merlin's p.o.v.
Annabeth kicked the guard closest to her, immediately dislocating his kneecap and sending him to the floor. She ducked underneath the swing of a sword and deftly caught the hilt of it and twisted the man's wrist so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon, meanwhile relieving him of a long knife that had been strapped to his leg. A moment later the man was on the floor with a long cut to his leg. Men attacked her at every angle, usually multiple at a time, yet she bore no sign of true struggle. The knights were each surprised by the cunning and risky moves she made.
I wished I could cease the fight commencing before me, but under Uther's meticulous watch, there was no way possible for me to attempt anything. Uther's eyes never left the spectacle before him. No doubt he finally understood just how powerful this woman truly was.
It took three men and a dishonorable hit to the back of her head to pin her to the floor, defeated at last. It was of little importance, however. Annabeth Chase of Olympus had established her credibility. The men lying on the floor in various states of unconsciousness were proof of that.
The guards pulled her to her feet, keeping her arms restrained tightly behind her back. A slight wince formed on her face. She said, "I do believe I have won my weapon back, yes?"
After a moment, Uther nodded to Arthur, who returned her dagger. Gaius and I both noticed the physical relief she showed upon its return. Uther looked to the rest of the great hall and ordered, "Leave us."
The knights and noblemen filed out, confused and frowning. I started to follow, as I was supposed to, but Arthur caught me arm and stopped me. I sighed silently in relief that I wasn't going to miss anything. Annabeth planted her feet squarely and began to rub at the dried blood on her face.
"What is your purpose in coming to Camelot?" Uther questioned.
Annabeth's face was unreadable. "I don't know yet. I wish I did."
"That's not an answer." Arthur said.
"Well, it's the only answer I've got!" She snapped, immediately regretful that she had lost her temper so quickly. "Look, all I know is that I cannot leave here until I figure out why I ended up in Camelot."
Her voice started out strong but had faded to a softer tone by the end of her sentence. She sounded almost…desperate. A glance at Gaius and Arthur told me that they had recognized this as well.
"I will stay out of your way. You won't hear of me." Annabeth started to turn for the doors. "I swear it by my mother's name."
Uther stood from his throne, interrupting her exit. "I'm afraid it isn't that simple anymore. Female warriors are practically unheard of and you have attacked the knights of this kingdom, a punishable offence. You are a danger to society. For that reason, you must be locked up."
Annabeth directed her attention to him again. "That is a very poor decision, I must warn you."
"Explain." Uther commanded.
A heavy silence was broken when she replied, "The monster I killed today? More will come. You have not the resources nor the training to defeat them."
"These are creatures of magic?" Arthur asked, a hand resting carefully on the hilt of his sword.
"Magic has little to do with it." Annabeth pursed her lips. "I have been fighting monsters my entire life. I don't seek them out, they find me. Locking me up will only put more people in danger. You can test my logic if you want, but any blame for questionable deaths cannot be put on me. That remains with you."
Gaius inputted his opinion for the first time, "Sire, I believe she speaks the truth."
"Do you know something I do not, Gaius?" Uther didn't appear happy.
"Not at all, Sire." Gaius bowed his head slightly. I was familiar with that glint in his eye though. "I suggest a sort of compromise. Allow her to stay at the palace where she can be watched carefully. If danger becomes apparent, she can take responsibility and cease it."
Uther considered this and readily agreed. He tilted his head to Arthur, "Escort her to the Blue Room and ensure that two guards are posted outside her door."
Annabeth scoffed at Uther's precautions and I held back a smile. We all knew that she could easily take out these guards. It was a comical fantasy that Uther still believed they could be important in stopping her from doing whatever she pleased.
However, Arthur complied, putting a hand on her back to guide her forward. She stiffened at his touch, but moved as she was supposed to. I followed them out the doors and into the hallway, leaving Gaius and Uther behind.