Chapter Eight
London July 2061
"When I get my hands on that journalist..." Arthur threatened as he pulled up outside Uther's house with Gwen. "'The New Arthur and Guinevere'! What was she thinking?"
"Well, you did say you wanted to find a way to tell your father about us," his girlfriend replied calmly.
"Not like that, Jennifer. I couldn't honestly think of a worse way of him finding out than by seeing our picture splashed across all the gossip columns, could you?"
"No, probably not."
"Although I really should have been paying more attention."
She grinned. "Yes, it wasn't exactly subtle, was it?"
"Or professional. I'm sorry about all of this, Jen. it's likely to be uncomfortable for you. My father still thinks we're living in the Victorian era where you only associate with others of your own class, and I just know he's going to make a fuss about our relationship."
"I'll be fine, Archie. We'll both be fine, don't worry."
As usual, Gwen had managed to calm him down a little, although now he was rather more nervous than anything else. Uther had invited Arthur's whole team to his house today and, seeing how much they had all been in the news recently, he was fairly certain it was just an excuse to ensure his son didn't leave Gwen behind.
Luckily, the couple met Gwaine at the front gate and so were able to enter together. At first it appeared to be a casual gathering with food and drinks offered and introductions being made but it wasn't long before the real reason for the visit was confirmed.
"Are we still waiting for people?" Uther said eventually. "Only I thought Lord Emrys was coming and Moira and..." He counted heads. "Aren't we one member of your team short too?"
"All three of them have been a bit... elusive this last month," Arthur admitted.
"You don't mean to tell me there's some truth to these rumours?" Uther asked.
"Rumours?" he asked, nervously.
"About the project causing unforeseen problems; earthquakes and such."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Of course there's no truth to them."
"And these rumours?" Uther asked, holding up a full page, sunlit picture of Arthur and Gwen gazing into each other's eyes and looking as if they were moments away from kissing.
Arthur winced. "Ah, well... there may be some truth to those."
"Perhaps that conversation should wait until later, Euan," Ygraine said.
"Perhaps but, what about Moira? She told us she was 'visiting friends' but, according to..." He looked down at another page and pulled a face. "...'Maureen's Murmurs' she is, and I quote, 'An invaluable member of the Camelot team.'" He turned to Gaius. "I thought I said she was not to be involved?"
"You told me I couldn't take part either, Father," Arthur pointed out. "And I said I was old enough to choose my own path. Moira is, as you know, two years older than me."
"In age perhaps but, with her particular condition, I don't really think that's a useful comparison."
"She is actually very much recovered now," Gaius said.
"Really?" Uther continued, sceptically. "And what about this? 'Rumours that romance has blossomed for both siblings'?"
"I'm not sure it's my place to comment on that," Arthur replied with a wince.
"Although I suppose it does explain your other missing member?"
"I don't know where Martin is either," Arthur admitted.
"But why was Moira on your team?" Uther pushed. "That's what I don't understand."
"We couldn't have done it without her," Elena said. "Her design was inspired."
"Her design?"
"I did try to explain," Gaius said. "I did tell you that her illness was not at all what it seemed."
Uther paused, obviously struggling to take the information on board. "You mean... like an autistic savant or something like that?"
The group exchanged nervous and wry looks. "Something like that, yes," Gaius replied.
~o~0~o~
Bristol University 2059
Project Camelot
"So, welcome to Project Camelot," Gaius said with a smile, waving his arm around the huge, light space which had been custom built for this team.
"Most of you know your roles on this team," he continued. "But I am here today to check you have everything you need and fully explain Morgan's presence here. What some of you may not realise is that, for many years now, she has been drawing pictures which relate directly to the flooding in this area. Once I became aware of this I was determined to bring her in on the project."
He then handed out some folders which contained copies of various sketches she had drawn over the years.
"These are... lovely," Gwaine said, carefully. "But I'm not sure exactly what... ah, I mean...?" He turned the folder sideways and frowned at one of the drawings, trying to make sense of it.
"Exactly," Gaius continued. "Morgan has created these images with no real understanding of weather systems, water courses or engineering, and yet I am convinced that she has some knowledge here that you others do not."
His sister, Arthur noticed, seemed uncharacteristically nervous, with her head down and her lip held firmly between her teeth. She was also keeping especially close to Merlin and he couldn't help but wonder exactly what had gone on between those two over the summer. Morgana seemed very, very changed during these last three months, to the extend that he barely recognised her from the girl he'd known before.
Just as soon as Gaius had left, his sister moved over to Gwen and the two sat next to each other at the computer, heads bowed whilst they talked in low whispers. Merlin was working with Percival at another console, Gwaine, Lancelot and Elena were pouring over old paper maps on the large table in the centre of the complex and the others were milling around generally; writing up lists and requisition requests, sending messages and setting up the various databases ready for the work ahead.
Arthur sat and surveyed the group. His team. The Knights of Camelot, as they had already started to call themselves. He smiled wryly as he watched them working all the while experiencing some other emotion he was struggling to interpret. The feeling was one of completeness, like a key turning in a lock. A faint whisper, just on the edge of hearing.
"Welcome home," it seemed to say.
~o~0~o~
Time flew by and Arthur couldn't remember ever feeling this content and excited about anything in his life. He had never found mornings easy to deal with but, nowadays, the prospect of yet more exciting challenges ahead made it far easier to get out of bed. More questions to ask, more solutions to find.
To his surprise, Morgana was a real asset to the team and also seemed very popular with the group. She had always been difficult to get along with when she was younger, and that was probably putting it kindly. Now, however, she would walk into the room gently, with little of her usual swagger in evidence, and sit herself down next to Gwen in order to start 'translating' her dream-inspired drawings into something rather more workable.
From time to time the pair would come over to Arthur and talk about what they were discovering and, later still, the whole team would sit around the large interactive screen and discuss what was happening in all of their mini departments.
"But it doesn't make any sense," Elena said at one point. "Why would you put a drainage ditch here? This land is rising the wrong way."
"Yes, but it'll turn back on itself, Ellen," Morgana said. "And anyway, you won't be able to get it to run through this place anyway."
"Why not?"
She shrugged, glancing towards Merlin. "I have no idea. I just know that it won't work if you try it."
"Morgan is working on pure instinct," Merlin explained. "It's like the visions she has. I'm not sure that science can explain it, but you've all seen enough of her skills by now to know that she has some abilities that we do not."
"So we are to move forwards assuming this is all correct," Elyan said. "And then...?"
"And then we'll start running computer simulations and find out for certain," Gwen finished.
"A problem, Ellen?" Arthur asked as he saw the Dutch girl shaking her head.
"it is not really a problem," she replied. "It's just definitely not the way we do things at home."
~o~0~o~
It was not all about work though. As Leon had said when they'd first met at the Emrys Mansion, this University campus was well equipped for leisure too. A gym, swimming pool and other sports facilities were available to all of them, as were many other recreational activities.
Every Friday night Arthur would take his team into the city centre where they would eat out at a restaurant before visiting a pub or two until closing time. Merlin didn't drink so he would always drive them if necessary and afterwards they would all return home to their own, personal Hall which contained a large, en-suite bedroom each, along with a communal kitchen and social area.
Not that they always used the bedroom assigned to them. Gwen now usually shared with him, and his sister was always with Merlin. Arthur was not aware of any other serious relationships within his group, although he got the feeling that there was quite a bit of bed-hopping going on after dark.
He felt absolutely no reason at all to intervene on that score.
Progress was quick and, to everyone surprise, Morgana's plans all seemed to work perfectly once translated and simulated. As Elena had said, it didn't make any sense but it did look as if it could actually work.
"Don't you think it's going just a bit too smoothly though," Gwen asked him one night as they lay in bed.
"What's this, Jennifer?" he teased. "Aren't you usually the optimistic one?"
"I know," she replied. "It's just that I sometimes feel that we're missing or overlooking something obvious."
"What do you mean?"
"Like a computer model which says a component can't possibly work in a certain situation, citing requirements which are frankly impossible, and then... well I mention it to Martin and he just says it's some programming error and that he'll take a look later. The next day everything's just fine."
Arthur shrugged. "Have you seen his qualifications, Jen? I mean, I know computing isn't my specialism, but, as much as it pains me to admit it, that boy is a genius. And I'm not just using that term lightly. He really is incredible with computers."
"I know. I understand that, it's just..." She shook her head. "No, you're right. I'm just looking for problems where there are none, I'm sure."
She had a point though and Arthur knew he wasn't the only one asking how so many apparently impossible issues were being solved so easily. However, every time a question was raised, the answer was readily supplied by Merlin or Emrys or Gaius and, as long as all the paper work backed them up, there really wasn't anything else Arthur needed to do. His job was simply to oversee the project and report back, nothing more.
~o~0~o~
"How are you, Morgan?"
Arthur made a point of seeking out his sister one evening and making sure they had a chance to talk uninterrupted for once.
She gave him a long, suspicious look. "What are you after, Archie?"
"Nothing, honestly. I'm being serious. We've only ever talk about Camelot and I've not had a chance to... chat with you for ages."
She rolled her eyes. "This is about Martin, isn't it?"
"Not if he's treating you well," he assured her. "Not if you're happy."
"He is and I am," she replied promptly. "He's been helping me because..."
"Yes?"
She shook her head. "He went through something similar with his gifts when he was young."
"I see. That makes sense now I think about it." He nodded. "And you're much better now. No more fits and visions?"
She winced. "I do still get them, yes, but they're definitely not as bad as they were."
"Well, that is good news."
She grinned then. "And sweet Jen is, of course, far too good for you."
"Thanks for that, Sis."
"But she's making you happy too, I think."
"Yes," he admitted. "She is."
"Good." Morgana suddenly grinned broadly. "Joint wedding then, when this is all finished?"
"What?"
"Why not? I think I want to keep this one, and can you imagine the look on Dad's face when we tell him the news."
"Morgan, that isn't funny."
"No?" she retorted with a smirk. "Are you sure? I think it's hilarious."
~o~0~o~
A/N: I love to stay well ahead on my fics and, after a great week, have already reached the end (12 chapter + an epilogue). Lots of editing to do but, depending on work, I may increase the updates to twice a week.