Disclaimer: I own my socks. Actually I think one is my brothers. Scrap that thought.
A/N Thank you to the alerters and favouriters and the reviewers. You make writing worth it.
Agravaine swept from the council room, ignoring the pleas and the moans of pain from the dying. Everything was in place; Camelot was on its knees.
He smirked as he strolled back to his rooms, Camelot was almost theirs and in a week he would be on the throne beside Morgana. They could be together, always. He would have everything he had ever wanted.
Soon.
Gwen's mind was blank with panic, the cries of pain had faded now- they were all dead. Their blood staining the stone slabs of the council floor. She felt a tug on her arm; Arthur was pulling her away from the side of the balcony.
How could Agravaine kill them all? Kill them in cold blood?
How could anyone be so evil?
Bile rose in her throat as Arthur frantically pulled her into the corridor and to safety. There was nothing they could do for the council.
"Gwen, Gwen I need you to calm down." Arthur said urgently as he tugged her staggering form to move faster. "Gwen…"
"I'm fine Arthur, I'm fine." Gwen shook herself, she was stronger than this. She couldn't go to pieces.
"Good. I need you to find the most trusted knights, the ones that won't be on Agravaine's side. I can't go I don't remember them and they won't remember me. Bring them to the Physicians room I'll meet you there." Gwen hesitated "You will be safe, no one will suspect you know."
"It's not me I'm worried about." Gwen breather wringing her hands as she glanced around fearfully.
"I'll be fine Gwen, we can sort this out. Tell Merlin I'll be there soon." Arthur turned to leave but was halted by Gwen's soft hand on his arm.
"You aren't going to Merlin now?" Gwen asked frowning up at him.
"There is someone I have to see first."
"Don't do anything stupid Arthur."
"I won't" After a brief moment of indecision Arthur gently pressed his lips against her forehead. "Just do as I say."
"Be safe." She whispered before hitching her skirts and running down the corridor. Arthur had left his sword back with Merlin and Gaius but there was something he needed to do. Sneaking round the castle should have proved difficult but it was far too easy. Someone needed to sort that out.
He didn't know why he was heading where he was, but the anger that had rose up inside him in that council room hadn't disappeared. He had to break someone and he had the perfect person lined up. Arthur ghosted through the corridors; his mind wandering whilst his feet seemed to move for him. Quickly moving to where he wanted to go. He pushed open the heavy wooden door.
"I said I didn't want to be disturbed."
"Nice to see you too… Uncle." Arthur sneered clenching his fist as he stepped into the room.
"Arthur! How did you…"
"I know what you did and so do the Knights. Your time here is up." Agravaine stepped backwards in fear his legs bumping into the table.
"Arthur, I'm your uncle. I didn't do anything…"
"All I want to know is why." Arthur spat angrily "Why would you side with Morgana?"
"I didn't, I haven't… You have no power here Arthur. You are no longer King."
Arthur stepped forward again closing in on Agravaine "Oh I think I do, I am the rightful King of Camelot… you are nothing. Pathetic and weak, Agravaine."
"I'm weak! What about you Arthur, doing everything you are told- you were so easy to fool, so easy to manipulate."
Arthur clenched his teeth but refused to take the bait, without warning Agravaine snatched the sword from his belt and swung it at Arthur's head. Arthur ducked easily avoiding the sword and looking for a way to disarm his uncle. "You are nothing Arthur; your mother would be so ashamed."
Arthur wondered if that would have stung more if he could remember his past, or if he had just decided that Agravaine was a lunatic.
"You murdered the council, you have killed so many innocent people and you think she'd be ashamed of me? I bet she's rolling in her grave at what you are doing." He swung again at Arthur's midsection but he danced backwards out of the way. He had to get behind him. Darting around the overbalanced man Arthur managed to seize his arm.
It was then a battle of strength, Arthur was younger, stronger and a Knight. Agravaine wasn't. But Agravaine was desperate.
Arthur twisted his grip on Agravaine's arm forcing him closer to him. He wrapped his other around the man's throat and squeezed- hard.
Agravaine deserved no less. With a splutter he released the blade and sent it clattering to the ground. He was then sent flying forward painfully as his nephew scooped up the sword. He pressed it against his Uncles throat.
"Arthur, don't kill me." Agravaine begged as his eyes filled with tears.
"Why shouldn't I, you killed the entire council and you were plotting to kill me!" Arthur yelled pushing the end further into his throat.
"I'm your uncle, I'm family." He pleaded.
"You are no family of mine. How can I break Morgana's curse… tell me and I will let you go."
"I don't know, I don't know!" He cried fearfully trying to shrink away from the blade.
"Well then you die." Arthur retracted the sword and hovered it over his frantically beating heart.
"Wait!" He yelled "Wait, I do know. Just lower the sword and I'll tell you."
"I don't think so…"
"Wait! Okay… Morgana said something about magic being needed to break it; she said that you would never be able to."
"How can magic break it?"
"She said that she'd heard of some prophecy."
"What did it say?" Arthur said angrily.
"I can't remember exactly." Arthur lowered the sword "I'm trying! Blade burnished by dragons breath and magic as pure as light itself together can defeat the evils of the sorceress."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, that's why she wasn't worried. There are no more dragons and no sorcerer to help the Pendragon. You can't stop her." Smirked Agravaine.
"We shall see I spare your life Uncle. But step foot on my land ever again and I will have your head removed the second your foot touches. Go!" Arthur snarled. Agravaine ran from the room like the stinking coward he was.
Arthur wasn't an idiot; he knew exactly where he would go. Straight to Morgana. But that was fine, he could deal with it. He could hardly imprison a man when no one knew he was the King. Morgana would hate him anyway, his use to her had expired with his banishment.
"He's been a while, I'm getting worried." Merlin said as he paced. He was still in Gaius chambers which were now full of knights. Gwen had brought back Gwaine, Leon, Percival and Elyan and now the room was packed.
Gaius had been upset when he had heard what had happened to the council, some of his closest friends had been in that room and his eyes had filled with tears before he dropped into silence, busying himself making medicine as if to try to forget.
Gaius had filled them in and to say they hadn't believed them was a bit of an understatement. Gwaine had yelled, Leon had said impossible. Only Percival and Elyan had restrained themselves but even they had spent the next half an hour afterwards staring at Merlin and Gaius as though they were mentally ill. They had now agreed to believe them until the source was destroyed which was fine because then the curse would be gone and they would remember.
They looked very dubious. Arthur would hopefully change that.
Merlin thought he knew where his stupid King had gone, to confront the lying snake that was his Uncle. Gwen had told them the news of the council and although it was terrible it did reinforce the belief that they were right. He could only guess how Arthur was taking the news.
He'd been gone over an hour when the door swung open and they all turned as one to see the newest arrival.
He was stood in the doorway, his arms at his sides and the light from the lantern behind him illuminating him. Even without his sword or royal clothes he looked every bit the King he was.
"Agravaine is gone and Morgana marches on Camelot. I think it's safe to say that we need a plan." Arthur said heavily as he stepped into the crowded room. He surveyed the gaggle of knights hoping for one he recognised but no memories came to light. Some looked familiar but that was it. It was disappointing to say the least.
"Arthur, we were worried about you." Gwen said as she stepped out from the back of the room where she had been helping Gaius make medicine.
"Sorry I got held up. I have some information on how to defeat the source; the reliability of it is somewhat questionable." Merlin raised an eyebrow as if to say 'and' and Arthur frowned as he tried to remember exactly his uncles words "It was something like Blade burnished by dragon and magic as pure as light can defeat her."
"Where they the exact words?" Merlin asked.
"Not word for word, but close enough. Do you have any idea what it means?" Arthur asked.
"I do, we shall have to go on a quest. We have to retrieve the blade mentioned." Merlin mused.
"Then if we have to leave Camelot we should take the majority of the army. I don't want to fight here; there are too many lives we'd be risking."
Leon frowned "I agree the further from Camelot the better for the people's safety. It will however be harder to hold ground in the open, less defensible than the castle."
"We don't want to fight in the woods either, we'd be slaughtered." Gwaine pointed out.
"No I think we need a large clearing, is there anywhere nearby with highland on our side?" Arthur asked.
"Half a day's ride" Merlin replied thoughtfully "It's a valley of sorts with a river going through, can only work to our advantage, right?"
"Right" Leon said licking his lips. "The only problem is the majority of the army has been disbanded."
"Then you have to go after them, get them back. Tell them where to meet us. It may be better for you to go after some of them, get them to the clearing." Arthur told them. He made a point to look at them individually as if to reassure them "Merlin and I shall get this sword and meet you there." He looked at Merlin as if for confirmation, he gave a short nod.
"How many men do we have?" Percival asked thoughtfully.
"We have about 500 here at the moment and about 700 have been disbanded." Elyan informed him, he had made sure to keep on top of the numbers. The others tended to forget about this sort of thing, but someone had to know. He knew like they all did that they didn't have enough to fight on open ground.
"What about guards?" Leon asked worriedly.
"I included them in that."
"It's not enough." Leon said sadly "We have no hope with so little men."
"There is always hope." Gwen said firmly "Why not ask some of the men from the town, if they have trained with a blade like many will have draft them in."
"If they have not trained with us they will die." Leon said grimly.
"Not if they are trained, some are hunters- good with arrows." Gwen pointed out "You need any help you can get even if it comes from commoners."
"That's not the issue!" Leon spluttered.
"Enough" Arthur said "Gwen is right. Elyan and Leon I need you to go after the men that were disbanded, grab a few guards as well. Get as many as you can. Gwaine I need you to take some Knights down to the town, gather anyone who is trained with a bow or sword and then take them to be suited up. Percival, I'm leaving you in charge of the distribution of weapons, chainmail and shields. Just take it all to the clearing and set up camp."
"What about us?" Gwen asked "You are going to need me and Gaius to tend to the wounded. We need to go with you to the battle."
Arthur paused and weighed up his options before responding "Fine but you aren't to leave the camp and I want you both wearing chainmail. Got it?"
"Of course."
"So all we have to do is defeat Morgana and everything will be good?" Merlin said a little snidely.
"It's the only option we've got Merlin. I'm counting on you to destroy this source. Once that's done it should be easier."
"Still won't be easy" Gwaine grumbled "We are still going to die. But it's better than the alternatives I suppose."
"Nice little bit of pessimism there, nice of you to be so cheerful." Elyan sighed.
"Stop it all of you, we are going to do this and we are going to defeat Morgana." Arthur paused "For Camelot."
"For Camelot" the others repeated. And if it was slightly more sombre than usual no one mentioned it.
A/N Hope you enjoyed, if you want me to continue with this story please do review- the encouragement is like a boot up the backside and gets me writing.