Mordred wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was pleased to see his parents leave. They had started to scare him recently with all their talk of him being King one day. He liked his Uncle Arthur too much and anyway he could see no real benefit in being King. When he was younger his parents seldom mentioned the topic in front of him but they seemed to think that at ten he was old enough to get involved. Now with them gone he hoped to be able to make it clear to his uncle that he didn't want to take his place. Perhaps Arthur would be able to talk his mother into stopping all the problems. Then he could spend more time doing what he loved ….sword play … rather than study all the treaties and laws of Camelot. The other thing that scared him was a conversation he had overheard between his parents. It seemed in some way they had been responsible for Uncle Arthur's wife's fall, if it was true that was horrid. Merlin was a really nice person and he knew the baby would make it nearly impossible for his to be King. Now he didn't like babies but he was prepared to like this one if it meant he didn't have to be King.

When he found out that Lady Sophia and Sir Valliant would be too busy to keep a really close eye on him Mordred was even happier. He hated Valliant he was a bully and the Lady Sophia hated him he knew she did. That morning Sophia had told him she would be spending more time with Queen Hunith as the Queen had been made Lady in Waiting as she was going to stay for a while. So for the morning after his lessons he was to amuse himself. So he was making his way to Prince Arthur's chambers in the hope of seeing Aithusa who was now back at Camelot. As he reached the door he looked up at Percival who was standing outside.

"Please Sir Percival could you tell me is Princess Merlin on her own?" the last thing he wanted was to find Sophia there with the Queen.

Percy smiled down at the young Prince and nodded "I suppose you want to visit and see Aithusa?" he paused "One tip please call Emrys just that, she is does not like being called Princess, although I expect she will want you to call he Merlin make sure she says so first and always in any company use Emrys" Percival knocked on the door and poked his head around and said very formally "Prince Mordred to visit"

Merlin grinned where he was sitting at the window "Please let him in"

Mordred walked in shyly it was the first time he had visited without an invite, but Merlin was smiling as if pleased to see him. "Come in Mordred. Have you come to see Aithusa?"

Mordred nodded still feeling awkward. Merlin pointed to a door "She is in there, let her out and then I will introduce you properly.

Mordred opened the door as he did the boisterous young dragon rushed out and went straight to Merlin's side. Merlin held out his hand to Mordred "Aithusa this is Mordred be nice to him. Mordred this is Aithusa if she gets to rough just tell her No and she will stop. And by the way you are welcome to visit anytime and while I think about it please call me Merlin as I hope we will be friends" Merlin poured out a herbal tea for them both and soon Mordred was playing with the young dragon.

Drea arrived with Freya and Merlin introduced them all adding "I hope Mordred will visit most mornings now his guardian is otherwise busy." Merlin winked at Mordred "My mother will be keeping her Lady in Waiting busy every morning and some afternoons. But I'm sure sometimes you will want to train with Prince Arthur I know he wants you to"

Mordred could hardly believe his luck "Really! What with his knights?"

"Yes but you must make sure you keep up with your lessons so we do not get complaints from the Lady Sophia or your mama when she gets back" Merlin told the excited boy then he whispered to Mordred "I hope our plans suit you?"

"Oh they do, thank you" Mordred couldn't believe his luck and spent an hour playing with the dragon and talking to Merlin.

This quickly become an established part of his morning, Mordred worked hard at his lessons so he was excused then he would spend time with either Merlin or Arthur. He became more outgoing and happy and Sophia was pleased she didn't have to spend too much time with him, she knew about the lessons with Prince Arthur and hoped that her mistress Morgana would understand she had no choice in the matter but the visits to Merlin remained a secret. Sophia found her new duties with Queen Hunith irksome at times as they took up every morning without fail. But at least for the most part the Queen was a kind and gentle mistress although she was far more determined than Sophia though she would be, insisting an having her company even when there appeared no reason for it. After a couple of weeks she gathered up courage to ask the Queen if she would put forward a request to Merlin for her old rooms back. "Only Drea is only one person and I am married and the rooms are so much bigger. I would also be closer to you"

Hunith raised her eyebrows "Oh no my dear that will not do. Lady Drea is Lady in Waiting to the Crown Prince's spouse and that is a higher position than your own, I am after all only a visitor. I am sure your husband could find you a larger place outside the castle if you find it so irksome. Please do not presume to gain in unwarranted favour by spending time with me. Besides with Emrys pregnant she needs her lady in waiting close to her"

Sophia realised then that the Queen was not the easy touch she had hoped for, her intention had been to get as much out of the visiting Queen as she could during her duties. Both her husband and she were trying to accumulate as much wealth and influence as they could so they could be sure of a comfortable time later. The Princess Morgana had not been the source of as much income as she had wished either, but she would not give up on the Queen not just yet.

"I'm sorry your majesty I meant not offence" Sophia said looking sorrowful "You are right of course, one gets accustomed to things and it is hard to part with them."

"Well that's as maybe but I think we should go to the market now I want to get some material for a new garment for my dear Emrys, who is growing with the pregnancy. We can spend time embroidering something nice. It is a woman's lot to carry babes and we should support each other at such times." Hunith smiled knowing full well that the Lady Sophia hated needlework and would much rather just gossip. She was finding hard to cope with the sly woman but was happy to help Merlin and Mordred. She knew if Sophia was part of her husband's court she would have long since sent her away.

After their long journey Morgana and Agravaine had arrived in Tintagel. Agravaine was soon making sure his wife knew who was in charge while they were there. He hated playing second fiddle to her when at Camelot but here he was Lord and his word was law. But his good mood did not last long as the High Priestess Morgause had arrived and started to throw her weight around. The people of Tintagel were still on the whole followers of the Old Religion and the High Priestess's could not be ignored or slighted even by him. It seemed she had come to see Morgana saying she had sensed his wife's powers growing. The two women seemed to spend hours together doing who knows what. As a result Morgana seemed to be growing more domineering than she was normally. Now Agravaine like a strong woman, which was one of the reasons he had married Morgana, but he still wanted to feel like a man and not a lap dog. So he started to spend more time away from the pair and out on his estate. The evenings were spent with Morgana and he learned that Morgause had a plan to bring forward the time when Morgana or their son sat on the throne. As Morgana and Morgause outlined their plans Agravaine began to wonder whether they so him at all in their new Camelot. This came to a head on evening when having listened to Morgause and Morgana talk for three hours he turned to the pair in fury.

"I hear an awful lot about what you two are going to do and how Morgana will sit on the throne until Mordred becomes of age. But what is my place in this?" he demanded.

Morgana looked at her husband "You will be my consort of course, but you are not a Pendragon and the people would never accept you as King. As father of Mordred you will of course have respect."

"Princess Morgana will act as Regent and High Priestess, you will be there to support her and your son" the way she spoke made Agravaine's blood boil but he said nothing more. But he was under no illusion that his position would be far from secure if Morgause had her way. He knew he would need too step carefully if he was to have a role to play. His wife had always made sure that Mordred was closer to her than him, something that hadn't worried him before, children had never been his thing. But he made a silent vow to ensure he spent more time with Mordred when they returned to Camelot.

The plans were detailed and included help from King Cenred, who seemed to have offered his support and army to help their plans, Agravaine could see no reason for this other than that Morgause seemed to have convinced him to help with promises that she clearly had no intention of keeping. The plans depended on the use of magic to carry them through and both Morgana and Morgause had every intention of overturning the ban on magic after they had gained power, but seemed to also intend that those without magical ability would be second class citizens. Another reason for his growing concern for his future.

One night as they lay together Agravaine asked his wife "If magic is to be the rule what about Mordred? Our son has shown no talent in that field"

"My dear Agravaine Morgause has looked into that, Mordred will develop powers, magic users only show their talent when they reach puberty or later. It is highly unlikely that Mordred will not have power, my mother did and she passed it to me. My powers are getting stronger every day and Mordred will have got his power from me! Morgause believes he will be a powerful Warlock "

"How does she know? She hasn't even met him" Agravaine protested

"She has! On several occasions do not worry yourself leave the magic to us, after all you said yourself in the past you have no talent. Do not worry we have everything under control. Now go to sleep I have much to do tomorrow" with that she turned her back on her husband.