Merlin walked down the corridor, distracted by the book in his hands that he had snatched from Blaise's shelf. Ahead of him Arthur trod, also heading toward their room; a noise caught Arthur's attention, and he paused, turning right to listen to the conversation leaking from the open door.
"If there's a problem, please, bring it to my attention," Arthur said into the room from the doorway.
Merlin heard Arthur's words as he caught up—he peered into the room to see all nine knights from Camelot gathered.
"King Uther is looking for you, sire." Sir Cadoc spoke from the middle of the room, all eyes watching.
"I'm aware of that."
"If he finds you here . . ." Cadoc didn't finish.
"He might jump to conclusions about why you've been away so long without contact." Sir Taran leaned against the wall, his hand curling around the hilt of his sword.
"You're saying he might think I've been enchanted somehow?"
"If he has no other news," Taran looked straight at Arthur.
"And what do you think?"
The men were all startled at the question, and they glanced around at each other.
"It is strange to be staying under an enemy's roof for so long," Sir Rigel finally ventured.
"Have we been treated as enemies?" Arthur stepped forward, fully entering the room.
"They don't know who we are—who you are," Taran said as several heads nodded in agreement.
"Actually, some of them do, as it turns out," Arthur said.
"But if the king knows you're his enemy—" Madoc sat in a chair, his voice curious, concerned.
"I am not his enemy. And Leodogran himself might not know yet—so we are going to continue our silence, is that understood?"
"Lest Leodogran find out?" Taran said.
"Do we have something to fear?" Rigel asked.
"Do we?" Arthur's voice had an edge.
"Well he does encourage sorcery . . ." Sir Nabon began, standing in the back of the room.
"What of it?" Arthur said. "Do you think that makes him evil?"
"Magic is . . ." Madoc started then stopped when Arthur glared at him.
"How many acts of evil have you seen since we arrived?"
"Leodogran's advisor is a sorcerer . . ." Taran said.
"And how many acts of evil have either of them performed?"
"Druids roam the streets . . ." Rigel said quietly, looking down at his hands and not finishing his thought.
"How many acts of evil?" Arthur again asked. "Where's the cabal? Where are the sorcerers spreading hate and lies and fear and plotting ruin upon the world? Because all I've seen here are people living their lives." Arthur looked around at his men. "We are staying until it is time to leave, and I don't want to hear about any more complaining," Arthur turned.
"So why can't Leodogran know who we are?" Madoc asked after Arthur had left.
"Because Leodogran might feel betrayed," Cadoc answered.
Later, lying awake, Merlin could hear Arthur breathing in the adjacent bed. A single candle burned low, and the book Merlin had brought was cracked open on his chest, ignored.
"I was born this way," Merlin said into the silence.
Arthur turned his head.
"I've always been able to do magic—I can't not do magic." Merlin's voice was quiet, his blood pounding in his veins as he waited for Arthur to respond. Arthur just stared at Merlin.
"My earliest memory is of a toad flying toward me," he continued. "I wanted to play with it, but it hopped away, so I just—I don't know—it just came to me, and I knew somehow that I had done it. That I could do it again."
"Why come to Camelot?" Arthur said finally.
"My mother sent me. She was worried the other villagers would find out—about me."
"Your mother was worried about your safety, so she sent you to Camelot—she does know our laws, right?"
Merlin chuckled softly, "I think it was more that Gaius was the only person she felt she could trust, and he lives in Camelot, so—here I am."
"So all this time you've been practicing magic?"
"How else could I continually save your royal ass?"
"I don't need magic to save me, Merlin." Arthur threw back his blankets and got up.
"Oh, but sometimes you do," Merlin smiled to himself.
Arthur glared at him, pacing the room. Door, window, door, window—back and forth, his steps too quick and curt for the small space.
"Arthur," Merlin said quietly as Arthur finally paused long enough to pour some water from the ewer on the table. "I don't know how not to be this way."
"I'm not mad at you, Merlin," Arthur started to bring the mug to his lips, but paused, "I'm just not looking forward to finding a new servant."
"You're sacking me? Do you realize how much I've done for you—" Merlin jumped out of bed.
"I'm not sacking you. But your life would be in danger in Camelot," Arthur waved the mug around, "and anyway, you have to finish training with Blaise."
"My life's always been in danger in Camelot—that's not going to change just because you know—I mean, is it?" Merlin met Arthur's eyes; Arthur looked down into the mug of water. Merlin continued, "as long as I exist, my life's in danger—you heard Erik, magic is illegal in a lot of places."
"All the more reason you should stay in Cameliard. Does this water smell funny to you?"
"I can correspond with Blaise, I'm not leaving you. Besides, Camelot is my home—you're right this water does smell funny."
"It's an anti-love potion." Blaise pointed to a page of the open book beside his breakfast.
"Lucky for us it has a unique smell," Merlin said, glancing over Blaise's shoulder. Arthur was the only other person in the room, and he stood on the other side of the table, arms crossed.
"Like an antidote to a love potion?" he said.
"No," said Blaise, "this one is for somebody already in love—it nullifies their feelings."
"Someone wanted me to not be in love? Who? And with whom?"
"With Anna," Merlin said. "She's the only person anyone in Cameliard would think you had feelings for. And she's the only one with a current suitor. Looks like someone wants to ensure that Erik doesn't have any competition."
"That is the obvious guess," Blaise said.
"Then wouldn't it make more sense to give it to Anna?" Arthur asked.
"Oh, you think Anna has feelings for you?" Blaise scoffed. "Anna's too well guarded for the moment. And if she had actually developed feelings for Erik, it would be counter-productive."
"If Anna had developed feelings for Erik, no one would have tried to put a love potion on her before—or did you forget that?" Arthur said.
"You're assuming it's the same person in both cases. Anna's had multiple attempts on her, yet we've never managed to prove anything on anyone. The likeliest suspect one time couldn't possibly have done it the next."
"So what—putting a love potion on Anna is something a whole group of people draws straws for?" Arthur began to pace alongside the table.
"Julia's not the only person who wants to see Anna married," Blaise said. "Each suitor has any number of supporters among the nobility—that, I think we can say for certain, that a noble is responsible, whoever actually delivered the potion."
"Sir Sagramore likes the first suitor, but Sir Gaudifier likes the second, and meanwhile, Bors prefers the third," Merlin said.
"I think some people we can rule out due to their personality," Blaise said.
"Bors wouldn't harm Anna," Arthur agreed.
"But the suspects are still numerous," Merlin said. Blaise shrugged.
"No," Arthur said, "one person is more persistent and determined than the others."
With that he walked out of the room.
"You'd better make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Blaise told Merlin.
Arthur found Julia in her chambers, one servant doing up her hair, the remains of a bath being carried away by another servant, and breakfast carried in by another servant still.
"Captain. To what do I owe the pleasure of this intrusion?" Julia's reflection in her mirror stared at Arthur.
Arthur motioned for the servants to leave, but Julia commanded them to stay.
"You will stop this campaign against Anna and Leodogran," Arthur said.
"Oh really?"
"The love potion in Anna's breakfast, the anti-love potion in my water, countless others so I've been told—it's going to stop."
"My dear Captain, I am in the business of matchmaking, anti-love potions are against my creed."
"So you admit to the love potion?"
"I admit to nothing." Julia snapped her head around to face Arthur, forcing the servant to redo a part of her hair. "Leodogran may be content to indulge in his daughter's fantasies, but this kingdom needs a king, and I am not the only one who sees that."
"Just so long as the new king is one you can manipulate?"
"Oh my dear, poor, naïve little boy—you think I tried to get rid of your affections for Anna with a potion that could get me banished, when all I have to do is wait for King Uther to come take his mutt back home?"
The servants startled. The one doing Julia's hair looked to the one making her bed then to the one emptying Julia's bath. Arthur, unperturbed, focused only on Julia.
"For a conniving opportunist, you're quick to point fingers." Arthur's voice was calm, detached. He moved closer to Julia, bending down to bring his face to hers. "Anna has her people's welfare at heart and will choose a king accordingly. If I find out you threw the people of this kingdom to the wolves and enslaved Anna's heart or mind with magic, just to serve your own greed, there will be no safe place for you in this world."
The servant doing Julia's hair had backed away as Arthur spoke. She took a tentative step back toward Julia as Arthur stood up.
"Anna is a child," Julia sneered. "She says she doesn't care about her own feelings, and yet she is waiting for her perfect man to just show up at our front gates. She claims to be pragmatic, but dreamy idealism colors everything she does. I had thought the renowned Arthur Pendragon to be more realistic than that."
Julia rose, her hair half-done. Arthur met her gaze.
"Is that what you think—that you can be Anna's perfect king?" she said
"I think this kingdom deserves better than your machinations. And by the way, if you're waiting for my father to show up, you definitely don't want any form of potion or spell anywhere near me—taking me home will be the last thing he does. My Lady," Arthur bowed to Julia, and nodded to each of the servants as he left.
Merlin opted to follow Blaise. The sorcerer had whispered into a servant's ear then made his way to the great hall. Merlin once again pressed himself behind a tapestry, regretting not having looked for an invisibility spell—the daylight from the windows brightened the room, scattering all shadows. One by one, members of Leodogran's council entered.
"Where's the king?" Sir Gaudifier asked.
"Breaking fast with Lord Erik and Princess Anna," Blaise replied as the brothers Idris and Erling, the last in, closed the doors; a look from Blaise and they barricaded it as well.
"What is it you want, Blaise," Lucas the Old asked. Blaise scanned the entire council—Lucas, Sagramore, Gaudifier, Cole, Tiernan, Alaric, Idris and Erling.
Blaise produced a mug with a flourish from beneath his robes and presented it to Alaric.
"Theatrics aren't usually your style," Alaric said, taking the full mug. "What is this?"
"An anti-love potion—note the singular odor, still quite strong."
Alaric didn't move.
"We must indeed be in dire straits if you're involving yourself in such a way," Blaise stared at Alaric.
"You didn't need to call us all here for this," Idris said.
"I want to know how many of you have tried a love potion or spell on the princess."
"You just accused Alaric of using an anti-love potion on Anna," Sagramore said.
"Oh, he didn't use it on the princess," Blaise stepped in front of Alaric, eyeing his face. "He tried to give it to the Captain."
"Alaric, why would you object to the Captain marrying the princess?" Lucas the Old asked.
"Has he even asked to court her?" Erling said.
"It is hard to deny that there is at least a shared interest," Sagramore said
"A shared interest is hardly love," Blaise said.
"Oh don't be stupid, Blaise," Alaric snapped. "The real question I want answered is who here knows the Captain is really Arthur Pendragon of Camelot?"
"What?" Gaudifier and Cole said, almost in unison. Sagramore stared agape at Blaise, but the others were unmoved.
"Half the council knows, and nobody thought to say anything?" Alaric glared at the gathered men.
"We didn't know," Erling said, indicating his brother.
"But now I want to put a love potion on the princess," Idris added.
"That's not funny, Idris," Blaise said.
"I'm not joking," Idris's face was suddenly hard.
"You would invite the Pendragon to Cameliard?" Alaric was aghast.
"Invite the mighty warrior Arthur to Cameliard's aid—yes."
"A union with Camelot could prove beneficial," Sagramore nodded.
"What?" Cole stared, stunned at Sagramore. "He is one man, not a savior—we would lose more than we would gain."
"We are not so well-off that we can defend ourselves indefinitely." Idris's voice was cold. "Our situation isn't going to change just because you don't like our options," he glared at each man.
"Uther's intolerance is too great," Gaudifier said. "You would protect our kingdom from one conqueror by sacrificing half of it to another."
"Uther would see every single one of us destroyed—those who don't practice magic would be killed for standing next to someone who does." Alaric said. "Conquest is the last thing you have to worry about from a Pendragon."
"You speak more truly than you know," Tiernan finally spoke. "Arthur is no conqueror. Though he is a uniter. And a defender."
"That seems to be the real question," Lucas the Old said, "are we dealing with the father or the son—and are the two the same?"
"Arthur is not Uther," Blaise said.
"He was raised by Uther, ingrained with Uther's hatred of the old ways—" Alaric said.
"Is that what you fear, Alaric," Blaise said, "that your way of life will disappear?"
"Don't you fear it?"
"Our ways are not dead yet," Tiernan turned to Alaric. "And it won't be a single man that destroys them."
"Forget the old ways," Cole said. "As long as Uther lives, Arthur will be duty-bound to follow his king—if he's as honorable as you say," he sneered at Blaise.
Blaise clenched his jaw.
"We never did answer your question, did we Blaise?" Tiernan said.
"Don't change the subject," Alaric said.
"We are discussing the succession, are we not?" Tiernan replied. The room was silent for a moment.
"No matter," Blaise said, "I can guess well enough which of you have used spells and potions, and when."
"Of course, none of this would be necessary if we agreed to Leodogran's proposal," Alaric said.
"I thought you didn't want to change the subject," Sagramore glared at him.
"Anna cannot succeed to the throne," Gaudifier said.
"We will not be the kingdom ruled by a woman," Cole said.
"It's been done before," Blaise said, "in many places."
"Women have ruled as regents," Lucas the Old said. "Leodogran proposes to make his daughter king."
"And why should we thwart that?" Alaric asked. "She has certainly proven herself."
"And it would resolve our dependence on love potions—if her husband need not be the lord and master . . ." Blaise drifted off, shrugging.
"I can't believe you, of all people Alaric, would want this," Cole said. "You, who want to preserve tradition so badly."
"This kingdom needs a king," Erling said.
"No," Blaise said, "this kingdom needs a ruler."
"And Arthur will prove to be a great one," Tiernan said.
"If there's something the druids wish to add, feel free to stop speaking in ambiguities and riddles," Alaric turned to Tiernan.
But Tiernan said nothing more, and the meeting ended at an impasse.
"Do you think Anna would make a good king?" Merlin asked Arthur that night.
"Leodogran seems to think so."
Merlin stared at Arthur, curious. "How do you know that?"
"He told me. If the nobles would let him, he'd make her his heir and do away with this suitor nonsense."
"But he's the king, can't he just—"
"Have his way?" Arthur jerked his head around to face Merlin then looked away. "How can you be so smart one minute and so incredibly stupid the next? A king's power isn't absolute, Merlin. If the nobles don't want to follow Anna, they won't—they'll rebel or usurp, or do something. Leodogran's hands are tied."
A knock sounded on the door. Merlin and Arthur looked at each other. Arthur got up and answered it. Merlin, too, sat up, pushing his blankets back.
"I'm sorry—I woke you," Anna said.
"No, no, not at all."
"Lord Erik will be leaving early tomorrow—"
"I know," Arthur said. "Everything's ready for him."
"He withdrew his suit."
"You seem disappointed."
"No." Anna took a breath. "He's a good man—he may not have deserved our cold reception."
"You weren't cold to him—you treated him with honor."
Anna said nothing. She looked to the ground, worrying a ring on her finger and letting her loose hair fall down around her face. "What about you?" She met Arthur's eye. "Last evening—I hope I didn't offend you, or imply—if I did . . . I'm sorry, my lord."
"Don't call me that, Anna—'my lord'—don't ever you call me that."
Anna flashed a smile up at him. "I'll take that as forgiveness. Good night, Prince Arthur."
"Princess Anna," Arthur brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. As he closed the door, he sighed heavily. "I have to tell Leodogran, don't I?"
"It probably wouldn't be a good thing if he's the last to know who you are," Merlin replied.
Lord Erik's departure was replete with the full pomp and ceremony that the kingdom of Cameliard could muster. All nobles were present, wearing their finest, at the parting ceremony. Anna presented Erik with a pearl-handled knife and kissed him on each cheek. A full retinue of Cameliard's knights escorted Lord Erik and his coterie through the streets to the gates of the city.
"Why did you withdraw your suit?" Arthur asked, riding beside Erik.
"Princess Anna isn't interested in me." Erik stared ahead.
"You seem to be at the top of her list as far as I can tell. She thinks you're worthy of being a king."
"I'm second place at best," Erik looked askance at Arthur. "She's not interested in me." Erik sighed, "and my family is not so stretched of resources that I have to make alliances, and I don't want to. I want to marry a woman who loves me, not one who thinks she's hiring someone for a job."
"Anna's husband will have to rule Cameliard—she is hiring."
Erik turned his head to fully face Arthur. "When you marry, don't you want it to be for something more than political convenience?"
Arthur looked away.
"I will marry for love," Erik said. "Anna is a lovely woman—"
"But you're not in love with her."
"Any more than she is with me."
At the gates, Erik took his leave of Arthur. Above on the parapet, Merlin and Blaise watched the procession depart down the road.
"So what now?" Merlin asked. "Does Anna just wait around for the next suitor to bring another onslaught of love potions?"
"This kingdom needs a king." Blaise's face was set as he stared over the walls at Erik's receding retinue.
"No such thing as love in this kingdom, huh?"
"If you were led by an imbecile or a jackass, would you find comfort in the notion that at least the queen loved him?" Blaise's question was devoid of sarcasm or irony, and he was not sneering; Merlin thought he looked sad. "No," Blaise continued, "love is not among Anna's luxuries."
Merlin studied Blaise's face, as if to crack to enigma of Blaise's psyche. "What happened to you and Cara?" Merlin asked after a minute.
"I wanted a wife, she wanted a place to put her things," Blaise said to the open air.
"But—"
"Love isn't enough—one day you'll grow up and realize that. It doesn't build worlds or turn winter to spring or change the inherent nature of a person—and I wouldn't want it to. If Cara stopped being Cara, even to be with me, she wouldn't be Cara. Love is powerful, but it's not an Arabian djinn, and it can't give you everything you want. Nobody gets that—not even the great Arthur."
"He knows he has to tell Leodogran who he is."
"But he hasn't yet. And time is running out."
In the distance, the last of Lord Erik's retinue disappeared into the forest.
-end-