Chapter two
See chapter one for disclaimer.
"She was enchanted, she was enchanted, and she had no control over her behaviour and this bracelet proves it. It proves she wasn't herself" Arthur mumbled to himself, still staring at the bracelet in Merlins hand.
Elyan and Merlin watched Arthur as he processed what they had told him.
"She can come home" Arthur mumbled, "She can come home" he repeated louder. Getting up from the floor he looked at his two friends with conviction and determination in his eyes.
"She can come home, Elyan gather the other Knights and ready horses; we ride in an hour. Merlin come with me" Arthur ordered walking from the room. Merlin smiled and looked at Elyan who was now smiling.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled from the corridor. Merlin laughed and ran out after him. Elyan grabbed his cloak and quickly followed, running in the opposite direction to the king and his servant.
Arthur was almost running up the stairs. "Uh where are we going? The horses and Gwen are in the opposite direction" Merlin asked trying to keep up with him.
"The council room, Agravaine is holding talks there on how to handle Odin and his men coming onto our land. I need to announce my decision to revoke Guinevere's banishment so that none of them attempt to harm her when I bring her home" Arthur explained not reducing his pace in the least despite Merlin's obvious inability to keep pace without running.
"But what about the fact we don't know who enchanted Gwen, Lancelot didn't have the skill so it's safe to say that someone else in betraying us by helping him or setting him up. And what if it's someone on the council, if you go in and tell them that your revoking her banishment that might get them to try again somehow" Merlin puffed. Arthur stopped dead in his tracks, causing Merlin to run into him and fall to the ground.
"That actually makes sense Merlin I'm surprised" Arthur started.
"You shouldn't be" Merlin quipped, causing Arthur to glare.
"Regardless, I have to inform them that I'm revoking her banishment" Arthur said walking towards the council room. "We'll find the traitor a different way and until we do she'll have a guard with her all the time" he added as he reached the doors.
Pushing them open, they found the council meeting in session. The inhabitants of the room all turned and looked when the doors opened. Realising it was Arthur they all rushed to stand and bow.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting gentlemen, but I have had some news brought to my attention and I felt it was necessary to give you warning before I carried out my actions" Arthur announced walking up to stand at the end of the table.
"It's quite all right my lord, we were actually about to break for now, we have some questions for you" Lord Ector said speaking up.
"Really interesting, well I hope it is a matter that can wait till tomorrow, I have more urgent business to handle this evening" Arthur stated looking around the room at his council. They all stared at him in confusion, they didn't know what he was about to tell them.
"It is my lord, what is it you needed?" Lord Carson asked.
"I need to advise you that I am revoking the banishment I sentenced Guinevere too, I have received further information on the events of that day and I find that there is sufficient information to revoke her punishment" Arthur said, stopping there to allow the council to adjust and respond to his words. The response he got was stunned silence; the council looked around at each other in disbelief. Arthur couldn't tell whether their silence was a good or a bad thing.
"Does no one wish to say anything or argue with me?" Arthur questioned slowly, studying each member of council. Agravaine looked in Merlin's opinion ready to explode with anger.
"I must ask sire what new news was brought to your attention?" Lord Ector asked nervously, secretly he had doubted that the king would hold the banishment permanently. From what Ector and the other senior councilmen had been told, Guinevere's actions did not seem to be the girls normal behaviour. They had watched her since Uther passed because they knew that their young prince, now king, would get his way soon enough and marry the girl. They had all watched with hidden humour as Agravaine had attempted to talk the young king out of the idea.
"I have been informed of her side of the events and it is clear that she was not in her right mind that day or evening. I have also been informed that the bracelet that she wore had been used to put the enchantment on her" Arthur announced.
"My lord, where exactly did this information come from? You know her the best and yet you saw no difference in her behaviour that day" Agravaine exclaimed, panic and disbelief colouring his voice. Arthur nodded, he could see his uncle was nervous, but why he was so confused him. He filed away the reaction for a later point and made a note to question it the following day.
"I spoke with Elyan and with Merlin. Elyan informed me of Guinevere's version of the day and Merlin brought the bracelet to me and informed me that it held magic" Arthur started looking his uncle in the eye.
"My lord if I may say, lord Agravaine raises a good point, you know her well yet you believed that she would betray you" Lord Carson stated carefully.
Arthur took a deep breath to collect himself, he knew he was taking a risk by admitting what he was about to but he knew he had. "That night I saw the love of my life kiss another man, my thoughts were not focused on anything but that image. Guinevere is the first women I have ever loved so totally with my entire heart, so I hope you'll forgive me for my youth and inexperience with women for not looking past that image. But in the days that have past the more I think about that day I realise, her behaviour was not right and that kiss was definitely not something she would have done on her own accord"
When he finished there was silence in the room.
"It is because of this news that I have decided to ride out immediately to speak with her. I intend on discussing the events of that day with her. I will likely bring her back to Camelot to further these discussions. I know that some of you will think my decisions make me weak and will bring trouble to Camelot but I do not share that same belief. I believe that this new information just proves that there are those who are trying to break Camelot down by using magic to take away the love of my life and your future Queen" Arthur argued.
"Despite what others will say, Guinevere's love and faith in me has made me the man I am today and I owe it to her to work this out and figure out who is trying to attack our home. Now I ask that you all save your questions and displeasure over my actions for tomorrow. I will send word in the morning on how it has turned out" Arthur announced. After seeing all of the men in the room nod their heads, Arthur turned on his heal and walked back through the doors with Merlin close on his heels.
Agravaine stared after the king in shock. He could not believe that after all his hard work it took to get rid of the little servant girl all it took to ruin everything was words from blacksmith turned night and serving boy. After a few moments he decided he had best run after Arthur and try and talk some sense into him before word of Arthur's decision could reach Morganna.
"Arthur stop for a moment we need to talk about this further" Agravaine called after the king and his servant. Arthur did not slow his pace at all despite hearing his uncle's call.
"Arthur!" Agravaine tried again. This time Arthur stopped and slowly turned to face his uncle.
"Uncle you will be wise to remember that I am your king, I will not react will should you continue speaking to me in this manner" Arthur said coldly.
"My lord, I apologise but you must see reason. If you revoke her banishment now the people will not trust your further decisions. They will think that you will change your mind quickly if one of your men or this girl can get to you, they will abuse this and you will look weak" Agravaine argued. "Need I remind you that you caught her betraying you" he added smirking to himself.
"Lord Agravaine, I do not believe they will see me as weak rather I think that they will see it for what it is. I made a mistake and had the courage to fix it. This is not the first time that someone has attempted to use magic to bring about the end of our kingdom and I doubt it will be the last" Arthur stated before turning and continuing out of the castle with Merlin and Agravaine following.
"My lord I must continue to protest, it is not right" Agravaine argued.
"Lord Agravaine I suggest you retire for the night before you find yourself in the dungeons" Arthur threatened as he approached the horses.
Agravaine with no other option decided he would do something he knew could either anger Arthur further or stop him in his tracks. "Your mother would not approve. She would not allow you to marry the servant girl any more than your father would"
Merlin and Sir Leon, the pair who knew Arthur the best knew that Agravaine was going to get it for invoking Arthur's mother. They knew that only a few could mention his mother and not end up with either a tongue lashing from the young king or time in the dungeons. The pair watched Arthur careful each ready to jump and grab Arthur should he attempt to strike the older man.
Arthur turned slowly towards his uncle, aware that both his Knights and several servants were watching him. Since his first run in with Morgause, Arthur had learnt a great deal about his mother. Arthur had forced his father to tell him about his mother on Guinevere's suggestion. Guinevere had also found a number of servants who had either served his mother or had known anything to do with her that would be willing to share stories of his mother and her behaviour. Though he had learnt about his mother, she was still a sore subject for him. Her death still grieved him and given the timing of recent events, now was not the time for anyone to speak of his mother.
"Agravaine you have tried my patience, so now you get to spend the evening in the dungeons" Arthur said softly as he motioned for guards to come in and take Agravaine to the dungeons.
"Surely not my lord, I am your uncle" Agravaine protested as the guards started to drag him away.
"Then you should know better than try my patience like this" Arthur said with a smirk. With that Arthur turned and moved to get on his horse. The remainder of his knights and Merlin followed suit.
Soon enough Arthur and his Knights were racing out of Camelot. Elyan pulled his horse just in front of Arthur's as they got of the main gates of Camelot, leading the way to Guinevere's little shack.
A short while later, Arthur spotted a little shack over the next hill. To him it looked far too little and broken down for the love of his life. As they approached he could see the flicker of light through the windows and the steady stream of smoke from the chimney. This told him that she was still awake, which was a good thing for him. Arthur thought that being out here on her own would be terrifying and he didn't want to scare her. Realising this, Arthur told the rest of his knights to fall back and maintain watch; he would speak with Guinevere alone.
Taking a deep breath, Arthur dismounted his horse and tied it to the post. Looking back at his men, he noticed that they had dismounted their horses and were watching him. He shook his head and smirked at them, he knew they meant well.
Taking another deep breath Arthur readied himself for the conversation that would happen inside the house.
Raising his hand he knocked at the door. He could hear movement inside the house and noticed the sheet over the window to his right move.
Until next time – JK Willett