Disclaimer: I only own the plot and the words - characters and the like belong to the BBC

As promised - the other half of the conversation. :) Still hoping that everyone is IC. My head it a little warped at the moment with moving out of home, so I think, readers, that you will be a better judge of that. :) And please leave a review; they always make my day. :P

Thirteen

"Arthur..." Morgana's tone was warning and when the Prince opened his mouth to say something further he paused, deciding against it before starting again on an apparently different tangent.

"No," Arthur repeated. "I won't allow it! This is Merlin we're talking about here. He won't be any help to you. I... I'll go instead," he wasn't going to admit how deeply he cared for Merlin and worried about his safety.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Rose replied, now realising what the Doctor's plan was. "Merlin's with us."

"Why?" Arthur demanded.

"He... uh... he fulfils the requirements," the Doctor offered and Rose shook her head at him slightly as if saying 'that's a stupid excuse'.

"What?"

"That makes him sound like some sort of experiment," Morgana commented.

"Look," Arthur spoke again, looking directly at the Doctor and Rose. "He's not going. It's alright for you two, going out and risking your lives because it's like you signed up for it. But it's not the same for Merlin. I'm not having him risk his life because you think he 'fulfils the requirements'. He should be safe," Arthur concluded and Merlin was slightly shocked at how passionate he sounded. Since when did Arthur care so much about his safety?

"We need the three of us," the Doctor said, quietly.

"Then I'll go," Arthur immediately replied. "I'll be more helpful than Merlin will be."

The Doctor, Rose and Merlin all looked sceptical. "Swords aren't going to be any use here," the Time Lord told him.

"So," was all Arthur could think of saying and as a retort it made him sound like he was four years old.

"Don't I get a say in this?"Merlin spoke up and they all turned to him. "I want to be with the Doctor-" Merlin continued, but was cut off by Arthur.

"Being with the Doctor didn't help Gaius!" Arthur reminded him harshly, letting his anger get the better of him. He instantly regretting it as Merlin's face fell.

"Don't blame the Doctor," Merlin spoke again, his voice low and dangerous. He seemed to have suddenly forgotten everyone else and only had eyes for Arthur. "I want to do this, ok. So don't blame him."

"Since when are you in charge?" Arthur demanded.

"Since you became blinked by... since you became too overprotective!"

"I'm not..." Arthur began again but closed his mouth as Morgana, Gwen and Merlin all nodded. The Prince blushed instead.

"I want to do this, Arthur," Merlin tone was pleading, any previous anger had been lost. "I want to be with the Doctor and I want to do this for Gaius. Understand that, please and let me do this."

Arthur opened his mouth a few times, looking much like a fish out of water.

"If we get through his, then you can punish me with extra chores," Merlin added in, smiling in an effort to lighten the situation. The two of them gazed at each other for what seemed an age before Arthur nodded slightly. The Doctor looked between them a few more times before speaking again.

"Anyway..."

"Yeah, anyways..." Rose also tried to lighten the room.

"The plan, Doctor?" Morgana asked, turning her gaze from Arthur onto the Doctor.

"Right. I suggest we aim this attack in the small courtyard outside the kitchens," the Doctor said, using his prior knowledge of a map he had seen to good use. "You can easily escape back into the main castle via the serving staff's corridors."

"I can lead the way," Gwen offered. "I know where everything leads."

Rose and the Doctor smiled at her. "Excellent. Can you also tell the kitchen staff what's happening so they can get out of there? We don't want any more casualties."

"Of course," Gwen said with a bob of her head. "Merlin and I can do that," and the Doctor nodded his accord.

"I shall inform my father," Arthur commented. "He won't want to be kept in the dark and he can also make sure no one goes near the courtyard."

"Good."

"When exactly will this... attack be taking place?" Morgana asked.

"This afternoon."

"So soon?" Arthur asked.

"The sooner the better," the Doctor answered and there were nods of agreement from them all. "Now," he continued, "you should all go and rest up. You'll need the energy later. Go," and he waved them off until he was the last one there; Rose having gone back to Morgana's chambers to select out some more suitable clothes.

Leaning back in his chair, he smiled wryly to himself despite the situation. Even in medieval England women were still obsessed with clothes and their appearances. Maybe times hadn't changed that much.

* * *

"Try these," Morgana turned back to Rose, holding up a tan pair of breeches and a dark coloured shift-like shirt.

"Thank you," Rose took the clothes off her, before remember the correct title, "my lady," she added.

"Oh please," Morgana waved her off. "It's just Morgana."

"Then thank you, Morgana," Rose smiled and ducked behind a screen to privately change out of her dress.

"You and that Doctor are pretty close, aren't you?" Morgana prompted.

Yeah, I spose you could say we are," Rose replied, the smile evident from her tone. "We've been travelling together for a while now."

"It shows," she paused. "And are you always getting yourself into situations like this?"

Rose laughed.

"Who am I kidding, of course you are," Morgana joined in on the laughing as Rose entered the main room again.

"So, what do you think?"

"Perfect," Morgana grinned, before turning to get changed in privacy, too. Looking around the room, Rose spied a long double-edged sword propped up against the wall; beside it was a quiver of bolts and a crossbow.

"Do you get to do much fighting here?"

"Yeah," Morgana replied, her mind reeling with the flashbacks from Ealdor, where they all picked up arms for Merlin. "Sometimes. When Uther took me in, there was little to do in the castle, so I often joined the boys in sword practice."

"Cool," Rose uttered, impressed, looking closer at the sword.

"And I once beat Arthur with that sword," Morgana commented, tucking her shirt into a belt as she approached Rose after dressing.

"Wow – that is impressive," Rose paused and then frowned. "Wait? Once?"

Morgana grinned, somewhat evilly. "He refused to duel me after that," she answered simply and Rose laughed. "Oh and you'd better not mention it to him. He's still bitter about it."

"Of course he is," Rose said knowingly, her tongue just visible, poking out between her teeth.

Morgana smiled again, softer than before. "Anyway, you had better go. We all need our rest."

"Sure," Rose agreed, trying not to notice that their conversation had taken a turn. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah," and Morgana waved farewell as Rose left. Deep down, the King's Ward knew that their only hope was Rose and the Doctor - the two strangers who knew so much and, Morgana suspected, came from so far away. Her life and Gwen's life and Arthur's life and the lives of everyone in Camelot were held in their hands. Morgana just had to trust them and have faith in them.