First off- sooooooo sorry for the immense wait. I had school work and this engineering project that just wouldn't end! Thankfully it's ended now, so I've managed to get this chapter up.

Secondly, thanks for everyone who reviewed/ subscribed- it means a lot to me. It's like receiving a virtual slice of cake (Except you should never ever accept food from strangers. Ever.)

Finally, thank you (if you're still reading) for keeping on with this fic, even if it has been a while in the works. I give you all virtual slices of cake. (Yes, I am slightly hungry)

"Are you certain this will cure hiccups?" Arthur demanded of Guinevere. She crouched down, tilted her head to one side and looked at him with a smile on her face. Arthur was currently upside-down, standing on his hands. He was propped up against the wall with Leon holding his legs to stabilise him, and his face was steadily turning redder.

"My father always makes me do this when I have hiccups." Guinevere gave a little giggle, and then tried to hide it when Arthur glared at her. She straightened up hastily. After another minute Arthur groaned.

"I feel sick."

"I don't want to be standing here." Leon interjected. As much as he felt it was his duty to support his friend he didn't want to be covered in sick.

"Don't you dare move." Arthur warned. "If you let go I'll-" He frowned, and paused for a moment. "They've gone! The hiccups have gone!"

"I told you it would work." Guinevere said.

"Can I put you down now?" Leon asked, still holding tightly onto Arthur.

"Of course you can put me down! Why would I want to stay like this?" Arthur snapped, as Leon slowly righted him. Arthur tried to brush his hair back into place.

"Thank you, Guinevere. I wouldn't have expected it from a serving girl, but you have been most useful." He addressed her haughtily, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Yes, thank you." Leon added.

"You're welcome. And call me Gwen, all my friends do." She smiled at Leon, who smiled back.

"I shan't- that would be an improper thing for a prince to do. I couldn't be friends with a serving girl. And neither can Leon- he's going to be a knight." Arthur said, not realising that Gwen hadn't been talking to him anyway. She stopped smiling and looked at her feet, remembering the social gap between them.

"I beg your pardon. I… I should go now." She picked up her discarded pile of washing and hurried off, still with her head bowed. The boys watched her go, and Leon wished she'd stayed.

"What a strange girl." Arthur remarked. "Although all girls are strange, Morgana especially."

"Who's Morgana?" Leon asked. Arthur pulled a face.

"My father adopted her when her father died. She's really stuck-up, and she thinks all boys are stupid. She's only jealous 'cause she'll never be king like me. She even thinks she can ride better than me."

As Leon was lead back to where he should have been he couldn't help but think Morgana sounded just like a girl version of Arthur. He kept this to himself though, although he made up his mind to ask Gwen about it next time he saw her. He hadn't thought she was strange, even if Arthur did.

. . . . .

"Leon!" A loud voice penetrated Leon's thoughts. He'd been day-dreaming, wistfully thinking of what it would be like when he was a real knight. He wouldn't have to bother with maths lessons, and he would have a horse and he would travel across the land and-

"Leon!" the voice came again. Leon looked up into Sir Orin's face, red with exasperation. "Oh, you are awake after all. Have you been paying attention at all this lesson?"

"Yes, Sir Orin." Leon replied, trying to sound like it was true. He did try to pay attention to the lesson, but Sir Orin's voice was a dreary monotone, and he'd never liked maths anyway.

"Well then, what is the answer to the question?"

"Question?" Leon couldn't remember any question being asked. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember anything that had been said this lesson. Orin sighed.

"Stay behind after class, Leon. Honestly, when I was your age I-" he was interrupted by a knock on the door. A boy not much older than Leon entered and bowed.

"Yes? What is it?" Orin asked irritably.

"Prince Arthur has requested the company of 'Leon' on his trip to Isen today."

Orin pinched his nose, as if by holding on to something he could hope to keep his temper in check.

"May I ask why the Prince has chosen this… this… fool to accompany him?"

"I do not know, sir, but they leave in half an hour."

"Very well." Orin turned back to the rest of his class. "The rest of you, back to work." He whirled round suddenly to see Leon still sitting in his seat, scarcely able to believe his good fortune. "What are you waiting for boy? The Prince has called you, you must answer!" Still Leon didn't move. "Go!" Orin emphasised. Leon nodded, jumped out of his seat and scarpered out the door.

. . . . .

"Ah, Leon. Hurry up, boy, we can't keep the people of Isen waiting." Uther looked down at Leon from his horse. Dressed up in all his finery and mounted on a magnificent steed Leon couldn't help but feel intimidated by the king.

"Yes sire." Leon bowed his head. A stable hand tapped him on the shoulder and gestured to a horse. Thankfully it was smaller than Uther's, so Leon had no trouble mounting it. Arthur came trotting up to rest beside him.

"You'd better be a good rider. I am, and I won't wait for you if you're slow." He said haughtily. Leon thought back to all his father had taught him about horse-riding. He'd always thought he was alright at it, but what if he did fall off? What if they decided since he couldn't stay on a horse he wasn't fit to be a knight, and they'd send him home in shame? What if-

"Don't listen to him." A girl's voice came from just behind Leon. She nudged her horse until she was level with the boys. "He's just worried in case someone proves to be a better rider than he is."

"I'm a better rider than you, Morgana, at any rate." Arthur countered. Leon looked at the girl- so this was Morgana. She sat elegantly on her horse, but had the same haughty look to her that Arthur did. However, she also had a mischievous smile on her face, and laughed as Arthur's face turned red.

"I bet I can beat you through the woods." She smiled.

"You can't." Arthur said stubbornly. Leon was intrigued- was Morgana, a girl, actually challenging the prince?

"I'll race you" she teased, flicking her hair out of her face. As if overhearing the conversation, Uther shouted back to them.

"Arthur, you must be on your best behaviour- it would not be proper for the future king to be seen racing through the country. Morgana, the same goes for you." He appeared to have forgotten Leon. "I do not wish for a repeat of last time." The last words were made to sound like a threat, and both Arthur and Morgana looked at the ground. Just as the party turned to go, Leon saw an old man rushing out from the castle. Uther caught sight of him and sighed.

"Yes? What is it Gaius?"

Leon could see Arthur turn pale. He wondered if Gaius had discovered the missing potion and had come to confront Arthur about it, which would explain why he looked so worried.

"Sire, I wish only to give Morgana a tonic for the journey- you know how long trips can affect her."

Uther's tone softened. "Of course. Thank you Gaius."

Gaius hurried over to pass Morgana a small glass phial. Inside was a liquid Leon recognised only too well.

"I'm sorry I didn't give it to you sooner- I had to make a new batch completely as I seemed to have misplaced the old one! I hope it works." Gaius passed her the bottle, and left without saying a word to Arthur. As he left Arthur loudly let out a breath.

"I thought he was coming to turn me into a frog!" he announced cheerily, not worried at all now that there was no danger of him getting found out. Leon noticed Morgana pulling a face as she stowed the bottle away.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worried in case Gaius had placed a spell on her instead of Arthur.

"I'm fine." She replied. "But I hate this stuff -it always gives me the hiccups."