Act 2: Tower in the Woods

(A/N: These are two characters that will have bigger roles in stories to come, but they're not really very active in this one.)

Meleagant/Meliagrance: Meleagant is the quintessential jerk with a heart of jerk. He is the son of King Bagdemagus, who spoiled him terribly and tolerated tantrums, and as a result Meleagant tends to have a very higher-than-thou attitude towards others. His father even pulled strings to get him the position of king of the student body, so that hubris is hanging over his head too. When he sees something he wants, he gets it one way or another, which leads to a highly questionable moral character. He has a very strained relationship with his father due to Bagdemagus' quick marriage after his mother's death, so quick it seemed like it was instant. This enraged and deeply hurt Meleagant, which led to a break between father and son that Meleagant hasn't been able to get over. The second marriage brought in a step-sister also, who Bagdemagus began to appear to favor over even his own son, so suffice it to say the prince isn't pleased with his dad at all. He has a crush on Guinevere and is openly hostile towards both Lancelot and Arthur whenever the topic of her comes up. He makes it no secret he wants her even after *REDACTED* "Have a nice day!" – Merlin. When all's said and done, though, Meleagant does care deeply for the others in his own way, even going out of his way to try and save them or help them. His dearest friend is Ozanna le Cure Hardy, who keeps him on a tight leash reining in Meleagant when he gets a little too vicious for comfort.

Parents: Bagdemagus

Siblings: ?

In-Laws: Unknown

Paramour: Guinevere, Gwinevere

Children: Unknown

Uncles: Unknown

Aunts: Unknown

Cousins: Unknown

Calogrenant/Calogrevance/Colgrevance ap Clydno: Incredibly loyal and protective of those he cares about to Knight Templar level, it's hard for the others to keep a leash on Calogrenant when one of them is in trouble. He will let absolutely nothing stand in his way of protecting his friends and relatives. Of course, in the process he usually ends up putting himself in more danger, but it's kind of a two-edged sword because as often as he puts himself in danger, he just as often succeeds in saving those he loves. Because he's so protective of the others, the others get obsessively protective over him right back which in turn drives them to do better, so it all kind of balances out in the end. At least as far as he's concerned. Calogrevance has a bit of an attention deficit disorder, another foil of his, but he is polite, considerate, rational, and good natured; basically, the acid tongued and rude Kay's polar opposite.

Parents: Unknown

Siblings: Unknown

In-Laws: Unknown

Paramour: Unknown

Children: Unknown

Uncles: Unknown

Aunts: Unknown

Cousins: Yvain

(A/N: These are charaters that will eventually get screen time, but 'Merlin' says it all about how important they are at the moment.)

Ozanna, Hebes, Gahalantine, Menaduke: "No, no, no, not important enough to share just yet! Come now, no more confusion for now. Two is quite enough." – Merlin (shoving bios off the side of the page)

I Follow My King

Turquine and Caradoc… To this day those names continue to send shivers up and down my spine. Shivers of both revulsion and fear. They were our eternal enemies. For years upon years they were our eternal enemies. Nothing delighted them more than kidnapping and imprisoning Knights of the Round Table. At one point they had a good chunk of my friends in custody. I still have nightmares thinking about it, about what they must have suffered before finally they were set free…

And my… and Loholt… He died in their custody, you know, or in the custody of Brian of the Isles… He got sick… They wouldn't help him and no one else could… He was just a boy, only fifteen! Oh god, Loholt, Loholt… You'd think I remembered where he died... I should, he meant the world to me, but I can't think straight anymore. Blood loss I guess.

This is where it all started… This is how they came to be our mortal enemies for so long, so sit back and 'enjoy' it…

Past

Servause, bound tightly far from the fire, shivered. After trying to fight Turquine and Caradoc off, and failing, he'd been severely flogged. He grimaced in pain. He couldn't compete with them. Not in his current state. He couldn't escape… He almost whimpered, but what would whimpering do? Well, it would certainly help him to feel better, so he whimpered… "Please… please, gods, help me…" he pled weakly.

Almost immediately he felt something cutting through the ropes binding him. His eye flew open with a gasp. "Might not be the hand of a god, might be, who's to say? But either way you're getting out," a voice said.

Servause's body tenseded. He knew that voice. "Agravaine," he gasped with a sob.

"Keep it down," Agravaine hissed, clamping a hand firmly over Stephen's mouth. He cut him loose then pulled him up.

"I can't believe it. Y' came back," Stephen said.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get out of here. Now," he said.

"The minute they see we're gone, they'll be after us again," Stephen warned.

"Two against all of us? I'm not too concerned," Agravaine replied.

"Two against two I'm afraid, boys," a voice said. Sharply the duo looked up. Turquine and Caradoc stood there glaring at them dangerously!

The two blinked. "I told you to keep it down," Agravaine deadpanned, scowling and drawing his sword along with Servause, who stared wide-eyed and pale.

Caradoc and Turquine lunged. Servause and Agravaine leapt out of the way and rose swiftly. Agravaine slashed at Turquine, who cried out in pain and swung at him. Agravaine leapt back. Stephen's blade clashed against Turquine's and he pushed the man away. Caradoc swung with his cudgel, catching them both and sending the two boys flying to the side. They cried out in pain, sliding across the ground, then sat up. "Run!" Agravaine ordered. The two scrambled up and began fleeing into the cover of the forest. Agravaine cried out as suddenly he was grabbed from behind!

Servause slid to a stop, turning. "Agravaine!" he exclaimed, preparing to lunge.

"No! Keep running! Don't stop! Get help, Stephen, hurry! You're in no condition to fight!" Agravaine insisted, wriggling in Caradoc's grasp.

"Stupid little double spy!" Turquine angrily said, striking Agravaine a strong blow to the head. Agravaine cried out.

"No!" Servause exclaimed. They turned attention to him. Stephen cursed under his breath.

"Stephen, run, please!" Agravaine begged. Servause swallowed dryly. He had to get help, he knew Agravaine was right about that. And right that he was in no condition to fight them on his own. Right now, running and getting the others was the only thing that he could do for Agravaine. So immediately he turned and raced away from Caradoc and Turquine, who were occupied with the madly fighting prince. Leaving him behind was a mistake, Servause repeated to himself over and over, but it was one mistake or another in this situation. There was no win. This mistake simply had more of a chance of getting Agravaine back alive.

"I'm sorry…" Stephen said aloud to the wind. He knew Agravaine couldn't hear him, but it made him feel better about fleeing. Maybe he could have gotten Agravaine out, but it was more likely they would have both died or been taken, and then no one would know. Sadistic choices… He hated sadistic choices…

KAK

"Where are Agravaine and Stephen?!" Petipace demanded of the students.

"A-Agravaine said that-that he would come right back here!" Gaheris worriedly answered.

"But he didn't! And where is Servause?" Galehaut demanded.

"We-we don't know," Balin tightly said.

"This is perfect," Galihoden said with a groan. "Just what we need."

"Let's go back out there and search again. They couldn't have just disappeared!" Alexander insisted.

"Yeah! If we split up into groups, then…" Accolon began.

"Guys, guys, Turquine and Caradoc have Agravaine!" Stephen's voice suddenly blurted as the boy stumbled out of the woods, pale and dishevelled.

"What? How? Why?" Dornar demanded, hurrying to Servause and holding the winded and flogged, to Dornar's horror, boy up.

"He…" Servause began. He didn't get much father, though. Suddenly an arrow flew through the air, imbedding itself in Bors the Elder's leg! The man cried out in pain, crumpling to the ground. Immediately Carados, Bagdemagus, Galehaut, Petipace, and Morholt rallied around him.

"Draw your weapons!" Petipace commanded the students. Swiftly they reacted, drawing their swords. Bors staggered up, grimacing, and drew his own.

From the bushes strode two figures. "Caradoc, Turquine," Morholt realized immediately, body tensing.

"It's two against all of us. We can take them. For Agravaine!" Brandelis stated.

"Totally with him," Galihoden piped up, though he looked frankly terrified.

Just then more figures came from the woods, surrounding the students. "Or not," Dywel remarked, pale as he backed up against Ermind and Geraint.

"Th-they b-brought c-company," Hoel fearfully said.

"Kill them all," Caradoc simply ordered his and Turquine's men. Immediately the small army lunged.

"Attack! Show no mercy!" Morholt commanded.

The two sides clashed. It was obvious almost immediately that, though skilled, the smaller group of students and teachers wouldn't win this battle. Only a choice few had even a ghost of a chance of getting away. Blood was being spilled, namely theirs, and their screams echoed through the forest. It would be a massacre if something wasn't done, and they feared not even the small children would be spared it. "Ermind, Dywel, stay behind me!" Geraint ordered.

"Constantine, Galeschin, stick close!" Gaheris shot.

Servause cried out as Turquine struck at him. Morholt lunged, attacking Turquine and battling him away. "We can't keep this up!" Bagdemagus called.

"We know," Carados gravely answered.

"Give it your all! This is a battle to death!" Galehaut shouted.

"Oh god, Lionel, Bors, I'm so sorry. Evaine, my love, forgive me," Bors the Elder pled. With his death, his children would be left fatherless, his wife a widow and alone. At least, he thought, he would join his brother in Avalon…

"Dad, dad!" Dornar cried out as if his father might hear him though he knew he couldn't.

"Father! Lamorak!" Percival screamed for their father and brother.

"We're going to die," Tor numbly said.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Daniel fearfully said.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," Dinadan desperately said to his little brother, taking his shoulders firmly and looking into his eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you back to Brunor alive. He loved you so much…"

"He loves me just as much as he loves you?" Daniel shouted at his brother. Dinadan stiffened in surprise "Do you honestly think he picks favorites?! He doesn't, Din!" Dinadan swallowed and nodded. "Now stand by me, brother," Daniel softly muttered. "This isn't over yet. Don't say sorry yet."

Dinadan looked ahead and gasped, pulling himself and Daniel out of the way of the cudgel being swung at their heads. "Always," he replied.

"Father, Palamedes, Safir, Florine, I am sorry…" Segwarides numbly said aloud to his absent brothers, father, and sister.

Balan swallowed, giving a regretful look to his twin. "I'll stay by your side to the end," he said to Balin flat out.

"It goes two ways, bro. Two ways," Balin vowed.

"I'm sorry…" Stephen said to them all. And in particular Morhaus.

"A thousand times over I would have done it," Morholt answered as they were herded into a tight circle with no room, anymore, to do anything but fight in place and try and cover one another for as long as they could.

"And a thousand times more you'll be able to!" a voice suddenly shouted out, unbridled rage in its tone. All heads turned. From the treeline raced King Pellinore, and with him all his company as well as the other dorm houses! Their backup had arrived, their numbers together adding up to more than Caradoc and Turquine were prepared for, and suddenly this battle was as good as done, and it was no longer in the favor of the giant brothers.

"Dad, Lamorak!" Tor cried out.

"Let the bodies hit the floor!" Lamorak shouted furiously.

"Dad, hold on!" Bors the Younger cried out, near tears on seeing his father injured and about to be killed.

"Rideth onward, riders of Worcestershire!" Palamedes said, enraged on seeing his brother in danger.

"All of you, to battle! Show them we're not afraid. Charge!" Arthur ordered, eyes blazing and fixed on his nephews and Hoel. The others, for once, didn't argue. In a flurry of horses' hooves—hey, the other houses had at least managed to keep their mounts where WA and IAK hadn't—and clanging armor, the veritable army charged down into battle and began carving into the enemy soldiers. The trapped boys cheered their rescuers and immediately felt rejuvenated. The battle was renewed, and this time every part worked in sync on all fronts whether they were enemy or ally…

Morholt swung at Turquine and the two battled back and forth. Turquine suddenly tripped up Morholt and slashed. Morholt fell with a cry, clutching his side and grimacing. He looked sharply up. Turquine's blade was coming down. "Morhaus, no!" Servause cried out.

Just then something raced in front of Morholt, catching Turquine's blade. "Tristan," Morholt said in shock.

Tristan kicked Turquine back and looked at the man. "Never. Again," he deadpanned.

"Tristan, get down!" Morholt shot, grabbing the boy and pulling him down on top of himself just as Caradoc's cudgel sailed over them. Had Tristan not been pulled down, his head would have been either knocked clean off or crushed. He gaped in horror then looked at Morholt, eyes wide. Morholt nodded, patting his shoulder, and staggered up. Tristan watched after the man in disbelief. He… wasn't sure what to think about that… Or how to react…

In minutes the enemy was driven away, and Caradoc and Turquine fled, enraged at the sudden arrival of the cavalry. The dorm houses cheered loudly in victory, hugging each other and high-fiving without second thoughts. Arthur included, who, for the first time ever, was beginning to feel like he had a place…

KAK

When most of the adrenaline had left and they had time to breathe, excited and relieved and grateful chatter immediately started up. Bagdemagus marched towards one of the boys of Green Knight Accomoations furiously and with a measure of concern. A lot of chatter died a bit as they students and teachers watched warily. "What were you thinking?!" Bagdemagus freaked at the boy he'd targeted.

"Who's that?" Stephen whispered to Balin.

Balin grimaced. "It's Meleagant, Bagdemagus' son. He's a member of the student body, actually the head of it, and a serious jerk most of the time so do yourself a favor, bro, and stay out of his way," he whispered back.

"I was thinking I didn't want to witness the laughter of a bunch of guys I've known most of my life, albeit disliked just as long?" Meleagant half-sarcastically shot back. "Although seeing you fall wouldn't have broken my heart any. I get one hell of an inheritance once you're gone." Bagdemagus looked briefly stung before anger came again.

"You could have been killed!" he shouted.

"Like you'd shed a tear!" Meleagant yelled back.

"Meleagant!" Bagdemagus furiously began. Meleagant scoffed and shoved rouhly passed his father, marching away fuming. Servause stared in disbelief.

"They're… not exactly a warm parent-child dynamic," Aglovale dryly said to Servause. "Not by Bagdemagus' choice." That awkward scene over, the houses went back to relieved chatter.

"Calogrenant!" Yvain exclaimed, going to one of the other boys in GKA. That boy looked about Kay or Dinadan's age.

The boy, Calogrenant, grinned and went towards Yvain, catching him in his arms and hugging him tightly, picking him up. "Well-met, cousin. I've missed you."

"Cousin? Am I missing something here?" Arthur demanded.

"No blood-relation to you, your majesty," Calogrenant said, smirking at Arthur as he deduced the young kings concern. "I'm Yvain's cousin through Uriens (off-note: could be on his mother's side, still working that out) this time."

"He has a bit of an attention deficit disorder. Easily distracted, this one," Sagremore explained to Servause, rolling his eyes. Goes by Calogrenant and Calogrevance, but seems to favor Calogrenant."

Calogrevance nodded at Stephen. "Depends on my mood," he said.

"He's Kay's polar opposite, charming and patient and sweet-tongued," Bedivere remarked, nudging Kay with a smirk. "The guy's a good foil for him."

"Watch it," Kay warned, frowning. He hadn't seen a lot of Calogrenant, but from what he had seen of him, he found the guy annoying. It was more of a love-hate thing, though. Sometimes he liked him, sometimes Calogrenant was lucky to get away alive.

"Tristan!" a voice called out. A boy, probably around Lionel's age, ran towards them. Another of the boys from GKA House.

Tristan looked curiously over and nodded in recognition. "Hebes," he greeted.

"Who's this?" Dinadan asked Tristan, frowning curiously. He hadn't seen this kid around which meant he was probably relatively new to the school, a year or two maybe.

"I'm Hebes! I'm Tristan's buddy, right Tristan?" Hebes replied.

"Right kiddo," Tristan replied, ruffling his hair affectionately in one of the rare moments he actually let a smirk, if nothing else, cross his face.

Hebes beamed. "I'm sorry I have to be against you, Tristan! I really wanted to be allied with Worcestershire House because then you could teach me really cool stuff and…" he began.

"Hey, no getting chummy with the enemy," Meleagant warned.

"Back off, Meleagant," Tristan warned.

"Easy. Meleagant likes to pretend the only person he cares about is himself, but when it comes down to it he'd lay his life on the line for any one of us," another GKA boy, Ozanna le Cure Hardy, said, brushing the king of the student body's behavior off.

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you, Ozanna?" Meleagant grumbled, kicking a rock and glaring spitefully towards his father who was trying to ignore the piercing glare.

"You almost threw your life down to save me," Constantine remarked to Meleagant, smirking knowingly.

"It was instinct!" Meleagant insisted. "You were about to topple off a tower and I just acted."

"You care," Constantine sang.

"Oh, shut up," Meleagant said, putting a hand up snootily.

"As long as we're introducing ourselves to the new guy, I'm Gahalantine, a cousin of Lancelot's," another boy said to the Servause. "I, or rather we—'we' being me and all my many cousins—are pretty well the adventure crew. We regularly go on adventures with Sir Villiers the Valiant, one of the teachers at Worcestershire Academy, because he's our cousin too and has made it his mission to rid the waters of pirates. It's a lot of sea travel, but eh, you get used to it."

"Really?" Hector asked, eyes lighting up. "Why haven't I been allowed to go with you guys?! Or even Bohort or Lionel?"

"Because you're all too young?" another young man lingering nearby bluntly replied, arms folded and an unimpressed frown on his lips. "Face it baby cuz, you, Lionel, and Bohort have the short end of the stick. Wait a couple years, then maybe we'll start dragging you along."

"That's no fair!" Hector protested.

"If it keeps you alive, it's fair," the young man replied. Hector frowned, pouting. The young man looked to Servause. "I'm Menaduke of Mentoche. Yet another cousin. There's a crapton of us." Servause looked about to reply, but Linoel cut in then.

"Do you guys have any pirate stories to tell us?" Lionel asked his cousins.

"That would be so cool!" Hector said, instantly perking up again.

"No, it wouldn't," Lancelot seriously stated, frowning at his little brother. Hector frowned and harrumphed, rolling his eyes.

"The lot of us are pretty close," Gahalantine said to Servause. "And like Menaduke kindly pointed out, there are a lot scattered around. Busy family, and tight-knit. More than is going to be good for any of us in this Game of Houses. Well, actually Villiers and Lancelot are having some… issues, but for the most part we're all pretty close."

"So wait, Villiers is your cousin?" Dagonet said to Lancelot in surprise.

"He prefers to keep it on the down low. He's ashamed of me," Lancelot bit. "His favorite saying? 'Grow up and we'll talk about my acknowledging you as blood'."

"Probably because all he sees when he looks at you is a bully looking to make himself into more than he's worth," Menaduke bit at Lancelot.

"Go fu…" Lancelot began.

"Okay, enough!" Galehaut cut in sharply. "There are more important things to deal with right now." He looked to the newcomers. "Sit down. We have a story to tell and you need to listen very, very closely to it." The newcomers exchanged looks.

KAK

The other dorm houses listened in horror to IAK's story and the tale Stephen told. Needless to say, Gaheris, Gareth, Gawain, Loholt, and Mordred were utterly terrified and sick with worry, visibly pale and shaken. "Leave it to Agravaine. If not Mordred, Agravaine," Arthur bitterly said, shaking his head.

"I say we leave him to his fate, that worthless traitor," Kay angrily said.

"And if it were Arthur?!" Gaheris furiously shot, enraged.

"It wasn't Arthur, though!" Kay snapped.

"What if it was?!" Loholt demanded.

Kay glared coldly at Loholt, then looked uncertainly at Arthur. He said nothing in response. "The great Kay, muted. Never thought I'd see the day," Bedivere remarked.

"Can it, Bedivere!" Kay snapped. Bedivere smirked.

"I'm afraid… I'm afraid it might not matter… It might be too late for Agravaine," Carados spoke up quietly, tending to the wounds sustained in the fight.

"What do you mean?" Gawain asked, uncertainty and fear filling his eyes.

Carados was silent, bowing his head. "In retaliation for their defeat, they may have executed him… He may have died for his betrayal of them before they even came after us in the woods… There will be nothing to recover, boys."

"No! He's our brother, he's our brother!" Mordred screamed, tears in his eyes.

"And my cousin!" Ywain shrieked.

"Mine too!" Constantine wailed.

"Your brother is dead, got it? Dead!" Brunor angrily shot at them.

"Brunor, enough," Safir said. "But… he's right… We can't risk our lives going after a body!"

"And if it were Segwarides?" Lucan demanded.

"Easy, cuz," Griflet said, placing a hand on Lucan's shoulder.

"Don't make this worse, bro," Bedivere agreed.

"What if?!" Lucan pressed, not backing down. He turned on his family. "Would you be saying the same thing if it was me?!"

Bedivere winced and exchanged looks with Griflet. "Stop!" Galeschin desperately insisted, visibly distressed by the fight and looking like he was reliving some sort of trauma.

"There must be some way to find a happy medium!" Pelleas was quick to add, wholly agreeing with the little boy.

"Look, maybe Agravaine can still be saved, but it can't be by us. We're untrained squires, not knights!" Gures, Gary, spoke up.`

"He's not wrong. If we return to Worcestershire or Far Far Away, Arthur can send out a search party of trained knights to find Agravaine and bring him back dead or alive. We can't do it ourselves. We don't even have sharp weapons! This whole thing was just supposed to be a test," Dornar rationalized. The others were silenced at this.

There was a bit more debating before finally Meliot said, "We've talked all we need to. We do this Dornar's way. IAK and WA head back to the castle at Far Far Away, GKA and RKA will head back to the school to recruit even more help. Bors the Elder, Morholt, Pellinore, Bagdemagus, Caradoc, Ector, Petipace, Galehaut, and I will head up the search, but you boys cannot be involved. Get on your horses. You're going to Arthur's Kingdom."

Mordred, Yvain, Ywain, Constantine, Galeschin, and Loholt burst into tears or screams of protest and denial, throwing a mass fit. Gaheris swallowed over a painful lump in his throat and knelt, scooping up Mordred and Loholt to cuddle them close, though they both kept struggling and screaming that they couldn't leave Agravaine behind. Gareth lifted Ywain up and Galeschin while Gawain took Yvain and Constantine into his arms. Glumly the boys began to obey the orders… All except for one…

KAK

"Wait, what? No! No way! No! We're not leaving one of our own behind with Caradoc and Turquine!" Arthur said, mouth agape in shock and appal. He was disgusted at the idea of it.

"Get on a horse, Artie, there's nothing we can do," Lancelot said as he and the others continued to leave.

"Wait, seriously? Is no one standing by me this time? Come on, guys! IAK, at least you! For pete's sake, he's one of yours!" Arthur called.

"Just get on de dumb horse, Arthur," Bleoberis grumbled, striking the back of Arthur's head as he passed.

Arthur blinked blankly in shock. This wasn't happening. He scowled. "Fine, go then, but I'm not coming! I may despise Agravaine, but dammit he's my nephew! Whether anyone else stays or not, I'm going!" Arthur declared, putting his foot down.

"Son, don't be foolish," Ector said.

"I agree with Arthur," Alisander said suddenly, coming up alongside the young king and stopping firmly. Where no one else stopped, he did.

Arthur started, looking over at the Byzantine Emperor with eyes wide in shock. "Alexander?" he asked. Alisander was honestly one of the last ones he would have expected to stand by him. "Why?"

"My question exactly. It's unsafe, Alisander. Arthur doesn't know what he's doing. Don't be an idiot and come on," Safir said.

Alexander shrugged and turned to Arthur to answer his question, eyes filled with a respect Arthur had never, ever seen in them before. Ever. "I follow my King," he simply replied, bowing to him. Well, fellow king in his case, but the sentiment still stood.

Arthur stared with mouth agape in shock. It wasn't a full bow, more a head bow, but it was something. "Wow… Uh, thanks… I-I don't really know what to say," Arthur finaly found the words to say. "This isn't just because Soredamer would be crushed if something happened to her brother?"

"It's a big part, but not the only part. I was genuine when I said I would follow you," Alexander replied. "Let's go, Artie." He looked back at the others. "If luck and the gods are with us, maybe we'll see you again soon. If not?" He shrugged, shaking his head. He looked at Gawain. "If I don't make it, tell her I'm sorry," he said, voice softer and a bit sad. "I would have given anything to be able to see… to see our child born. To watch it grow up… I pray we can at least save your brother, if not ourselves…" With that he turned and started in the direction Caradoc and Turquine had gone.

Arthur grimaced, looking suddenly exhausted and defeated. Wow that had gotten real fast… He shook his head at the rest of them and turned, catching quickly up with Alexander. "I'm sorry," he said to him. Alisander just shook his head. "How far along?" Arthur asked quietly.

"She's showing," Alexander answered with a weak smile. "Maybe in the sixth or seventh month, thereabouts… I could feel it moving…"

Arthur was quiet. "You don't have to come," he finally said.

"No one else will," Alisander answered, shrugging. "You go there, you're doomed."

"You don't have to be doomed with me," Arthur said. "Only one person has to die, Alexander."

"And it can't be you," Alexander replied, looking sincerely at him. "Brittania can't take another loss like they did with Uther. It won't be able to stand if it does, and its enemies will rip it apart, if it doesn't rip itself apart first. At least if I die, Soredamer can take the throne of my empire."

"Alex…" Arthur began.

"Let's just do this, okay Artie?" Alisander replied. Arthur winced, really not liking the direction this had gone.

KAK

The rest of them stared in shocked disbelief as Alisander and Arthur headed away. There was utter silence. Dagonet began to shift uncomfortably.

I follow my King.

Not long ago he himself had said that very same thing… He grimaced then frowned, starting after Alisander and Arthur. "Arthur, wait!" he called out. Arthur looked back and started on seeing his court jester approaching. He and Alisander paused to wait. Dagonet chuckled, smirking as he caught up. "I follow my King," he said. Arthur caught on and grinned at him.

The others watched in disbelief. "Screw it. I'm not letting Arthur out there alone," Kay said finally, approaching.

"Nor I," Ector said, following his son. "Your Majesty, my son, you have our backing."

"Oh, what the heck?" Dinadan said, shrugging and going to Arthur.

"Wait up," Daniel said.

"Oh hell no. No without me," Brunor said, frowning at his brothers and pursuing them.

"I follow my King," Lamorak sang, grinning. He liked the sound of that. He was the next one to follow.

"No way are you going out there without us, Lamorak!" Aglovale sharply shot after his brother, quickly joining him with Percival, Tor, and Dornar.

"Damned if my sons go without me," Pellinore said.

"I'm going too," Stephen said. Agravaine had done this for his sake. He wasn't letting them do this without him.

Mordred was silent. Finally he squirmed out of his brother's arms and moved towards Arthur, surprising everyone. "Mordred?" Arthur said in shock as Mordred came up next to him.

"If you screw this up, 'uncle', our blood is on your hands," Mordred said. Arthur winced.

After that, the floodgates were wide open. The others, every single member from every single dorm house, one by one approached until all of them were at Arthur's side.

Except for one…

Arthur grinned widely. He'd never felt so, so… Oh what was the word? His eyes lit up in realization. He'd never felt so confidant and reassured before, so much like people had his back. He'd always been alone, the loser, left to fend for himself… And now suddenly they were all there… It was so different. So amazing… And in that moment, Arthur realized nothing would be the same again… He looked over towards the last one still to come, and his grin fell, breath catching nervously in his throat. Oh no…

"Lancelot?" Gawain asked. The mood sobered immediately.

Lancelot remained apart from them, eyes blazing dangerously and borderline murderously at Arthur. "No. No way! I'm not following that idiot into something this big! He's going to get us all killed, so forget it! I'm getting help that might actually be worth something. Follow the blind if you must, but I want no part of it."

"Lancelot…" Hector began.

"You're with me, brother, or you're with him. Make your choice!" Lancelot sharply shot.

Hector started, looking nervous. He looked from Lancelot to Arthur and back. Finally he swallowed, took a breath, and replied, "I love you more than anything. You know I'm always on your side… But I can't follow you this time… I choose Arthur… I'm sorry you won't come with me, but Agravaine doesn't have the time left to him that it will take to get help… Good luck, Lance. I'll see you back at school. Hopefully." Lancelot looked outraged, mouth dropped in shock and disbelief, but he didn't move. Hector apologetically bowed his head and followed the others who were already heading off. Soon enough they had all disappeared into the woods.

"Dammit!" Lancelot yelled, kicking a tree. Screw Arthur! He growled and mounted a horse that had been left for him, riding in the opposite direction…