A/N: You know how sometimes I say that certain songs really need to be Merlin AMVs (or whatever the heck they're called)? Well, "What's a Guy Gotta Do" by Joe Nichols. It would be sooo funny. It's a funny song. Yes, it's playing in my earphones right now. I always write to country music.

Arthur had been captured before, sure. But he'd never before been captured in Camelot and taken prisoner inside his own castle.

It was actually pretty aggravating.

But he had tripped. Which was humiliating, and when he escaped – because he would escape – he would tell no one. No one. Not even Gwen, because women in general liked to talk, and she would probably tell Merlin, who would never let him forget it. While Arthur had struggled to his feet, cursing the cat that ran in his way, he had been grabbed from behind and held firmly.

Now that the guards had the king of Camelot, they were happy to stop their chase and take him to Morgana.

Looking around as he was manhandled away, he saw that Tristan and Merlin had gotten away. There were pros and cons to that. He wouldn't have someone to help him resist, but he might have a rescue party later. Plus, the less people captured, the better. So more pros than cons. Good. Plus, on a less logical level, he was relieved that they hadn't been caught.

They led him to Morgana.

Arthur didn't want to go to Morgana; he didn't want to be taken anywhere, but no matter how he struggled, he was taken away to the throne room. Eventually he gave up fighting. It just made him look ridiculous anyway, and he wanted to keep his pride intact in front of Morgana.

The throne room door opened, and she was sitting on the throne like it was some sort of couch, like she was some sort of loose woman waiting on a lover. It was really rather sick. Behind her, Helios stood tall.

He was pushed into the room and onto his knees in front of her; he tried to stand but was pushed back down. He was struck by a sense of déjà vu, only—he was remembering a time when he wasn't here kneeling on the floor; he was above, looking down…

Morgana sat up and leaned forward. "Arthur, my dear brother," she said sweetly. Whenever she left his presence for any period of time, she seemed to change so drastically. After she'd been kidnapped, and then when he came back from searching for the Cup of Life, and now… It hurt every time to see her so changed.

She was still talking to him. "I hear you were sneaking around in Camelot. You can't do that. It's not yours anymore. Who was with you?"

Arthur looked up at her, trying to keep his face neutral. "No one, I was alone."

"I can't see you deciding to play espionage by yourself."

"I was alone."

Morgana pursed her lips and looked at the sky. "Funny. That wasn't what my guards told me. They said a blond man and a skinny brunet man were with you. I guess the skinny one was your insufferable manservant, shame I couldn't entertain him too…"

Had she forgotten Merlin's name? That caused a prick of annoyance. Neutral, neutral, stay neutral…

"Who was the blond?"

"I don't know who you were referring to."

"Perhaps that big knight Agravaine mentioned, who was he…? Oh, Percival. Was it Percival?"

Arthur looked around, suddenly curious. "Where is Agravaine?" he asked.

"Dead, we think," she said. "You should know. You killed him, didn't you? He didn't return from Ealdor."

He didn't? Had he run away? No, he had been chasing them… But they had been running away. The only one who had gone back was… His eyebrows drew together.

Morgana shrugged. "Don't worry, brother, I'm not too upset. I am a little upset about the fact that you lied about having companions with you on your little trip to Camelot. You shouldn't lie," she reprimanded in a sing-song voice that made him want to slap her. "You do that, I might have to punish you. It's my rules now, brother."

Arthur snorted. "For now," he agreed. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

She hissed a little, almost serpentine. "It will be a relief," she told him conspiratorially, on the edge of her chair, "when I can kill you and be done with it. In the meantime, you'll do well to watch yourself."

Arthur was still being held down, and his shoulders had begun to ache. He wondered why she did not execute him now and "be done with it", as she said. What was stopping her?

He was still trying to look unaffected, but she must have seen his confusion and couldn't resist explaining, she was so proud of herself.

"You see," she said, "Emrys always thinks he's two steps ahead of me, saving Camelot. But this time, I bait the trap, and I've got the key! And the prince – excuse me, brother, king – in peril." She chuckled. Helios smiled and looked at Arthur like he was prey.

Not that Arthur understood a word of that, but he figured he got the gist. It meant that he had slightly more time to work with, and a very inhospitable host to make that time most unpleasant.