Just to warn you, there is a fairly graphic descriptive scene in this chapter.
"Lot is moving in from the east, Olaf from the south-east, Caerleon has joined forces with Bayard. Godwyn is moving with them, but his force his lesser. Alined has made no response, but he hates Bayard, so may not rush to his aid," Gwaine said as they sat around the big stone table.
"What aid? If an army marches on this place we are going to have trouble," Lancelot said.
"Don't be so sure," Gaius said. "Those walls might look a little run down, but they are as solid in their foundations as the day they were laid."
"He's right," Balinor rumbled. "We can hold the outer wall, probably against one onslaught, then retreat into the citadel. That will take some work to get into. We have time to prepare before the armies arrive, my guess would be approximately three days."
"The town is between those walls," Arthur said.
Balinor looked at him steadily. "I've already given them instructions. Any that want to stay are to gather their things, what they can carry, and all the food they have, and retreat into the citadel. Those that wish to leave will be able to make their way out through the Darkling Woods, nothing will hurt them, they know that."
"No one has left, they are all coming in," Leon said. "I've got a few of them to start organising the food stores, rationing has to start of now. The well in the main courtyard means we don't have to worry about water supplies, none of the enemy can taint it, so we're safe from that."
"We are not prepared for a siege," Percival said.
Arthur swallowed heavily, his face pale and frightened. Everything felt out of control. He jumped a little as Gaius reached out to take his hand. Arthur felt Gaius hold on tightly and Arthur squeezed back, this time he felt utterly glad of the contact. Gaius held onto him not minding that Arthur held on a little too hard, he just felt glad that Arthur had started to hold back. Every time Gaius looked at him he saw the frightened little boy he had left with Alice, and the screaming child that had been dragged away by Balinor, and handed to Agravaine. A man who had loathed his own sister's child, because the father happened to be Uther Pendragon. The image would never leave Gaius, not even now that Merlin protected Arthur. If nothing else that seemed to make it worse.
"What do we do?" Arthur asked.
"We concentrate on securing the battlements," Balinor said. "And maybe set some traps to slow them down."
"There is a possibility it may not come to this," Merlin said.
"At a rough guess that will only happen if we relinquish Arthur to him," Leon mused. "If this is Bayard's response to the news then I doubt he is happy about it."
"Arthur's going nowhere," Merlin snapped. "Excalibur's release has proven that this is where he is meant to be. If they react to that as if it's a threat then…"
"Merlin, we are not ready for this. Half the force will leave when their kings arrive, they cannot be expected to fight on our side," Lancelot argued.
"Inform them they will be released from duty as soon as the army is within range," Merlin said. "Has anything been said between them?"
"Many are confused, although there hasn't been any particular sign of dissention," Gwaine said. "I spoke to my father's men and explained as best I could. Their main concern is what will happen regarding their posting here, and what side they are on. I told them nothing was fixed, and we'll be looking for a peaceful solution. If not, they felt reassured that they would not be fighting against their own kinsmen."
"I suppose in a way I am uniting Albion. One thing they seem to agree on is me," Arthur said weakly, his face pale with stress. Gaius squeezed his hand.
"All we can do is get ready and see what happens when the forces get here," Merlin said. "Leon, see what weapons we have, and how many residents we can arm. Elyan and Lancelot check around all the defensible areas, and look into anywhere that needs strengthening, places we can leave traps, and see what would slow any advancing force down. Gaius, you need to make sure you're well stocked with supplies, Gwen can help you, and Gwen, you also need to make sure the kitchens and supplies are organised. Percival, we need to keep training Arthur as much as possible. I'll look into adding to the defences in a less mundane way."
Merlin paused, looking around at the group of people settled around the table.
"Then, all we can do is wait to see what happens."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Two days later Arthur tucked himself into the 'v' of the rowan tree's trunk, just where it separated into to thick offshoots. It felt surprisingly comfortable as he settled, to stare out at the forces of men that now surrounded the citadel. The blossoming tree had caused all the army some pause, many of the soldiers heading round to stare at the phenomenal sight. To Arthur it was starting to seem like just another annoying, obvious, symbol of the trouble he had got himself into.
"Bloody Merlin," Arthur muttered to himself, although he couldn't really blame his owner... guardian... Arthur corrected himself. All things considered, they couldn't keep the description. Arthur didn't feel that much different, he still felt like a slave, he still did chores - only this time the burden wasn't all his, people shared the tasks without complaint. Except Gwaine, who had always had a talent for skilfully avoiding hard work.
No, Arthur decided, he couldn't blame Merlin. He couldn't blame anyone, things had just happened as they had, and now different things were happening. There appeared to be a whole new set of rules, some of which they didn't know, and most of them they were having to make up as they went along. The only problem was, Arthur didn't know what to do with himself. It had been fine when he had been a slave, just doing as he was told. Now he was meant to be a king. Arthur had experience of kings, they never seemed to falter when they made a decision, but so many times he just experienced their cruelty.
He turned his head at the sound of footsteps, his breath inhaling a little sharply as he saw Balinor. The Dragonlord slowed his step as he saw Arthur nestled in the safety of the tree. Balinor nodded his head in greeting and then turned to assess the gathered force outside. Arthur turned and did the same, locating Bayard's standard, and the large tent where he knew the king would be planning his moves.
Throughout the rest of the chaos of the camp he could see Lot's banner, Alined's and Lord Godwyn's, although his space was significantly smaller. He didn't have enough power to refuse. Gwaine was right, Arthur knew the workings of every house, every kingdom. Godwyn probably didn't entirely agree with the full force of the kings threatening one tiny community. The time Arthur had spent with him he had actually had some time to be a child, playing with Princess Elena, amusing her, and looking after her. Elena had been nice, Arthur thought. But after that it had been decided that Elena would marry Gaheris. The alliance was a good one, it would consolidate one kingdom and the small fife that Godwyn ruled. Although despite it's size it was a strategic move, lying within adjoining kingdoms. Bayard had lost out, he didn't get his son Renyard out to Godwyn in time, but as the alliance had been set, he couldn't force the issue. He would have to take on Lot for that.
As an appeasing gesture Godwyn had let Bayard take Arthur back. The king had vented his frustration on him all the way back. Arthur reached up and wiped his face. He had been ten, almost eleven, maybe, Time had a horrifying clarity to it, when he didn't want it to be like that.
Arthur turned, looking at Balinor. He stared at him, trying to really focus and see that moment that the Dragonlord had interfered with his life. In the end Balinor couldn't ignore Arthur staring at him and he turned away from the gathered army to look at him.
"Can I ask..." Arthur started, hitched a breath and he would have continued but Balinor knew the content of the question.
"You want to know what your father did to my wife?"
Arthur nodded. "I know he killed her, and she was pregnant."
"She was almost due. I had tried to remove her from the village, but she couldn't go far, so he caught her, and me. He tied her to a stake, with a pyre."
Arthur clenched his jaw. "He burnt her."
"Hunith begged for the sake of our child. That was an innocent, and Hunith had no magic, the child might not either. Merlin did though, so Uther would not take the risk, and a few people objected to him killing a heavily pregnant women."
Balinor's jaw clenched, Arthur saw the pain and anger. It came across in his voice as he spoke, his hands clenching at his sides.
"He ordered someone to cut her open and remove the child. She was gutted and the child fell onto the pyre below." Balinor's eyes filled with tears. "It was moving, and people were close enough to realise it was a little girl. One of the village women ran to try and save her, but she was cut down and Uther ignited the pyre by putting a torch just by the child. Our daughter was alive, so was Hunith, although she was dying. She didn't scream but for a few moments, only briefly, our child cried."
Balinor stopped. Arthur stared, not even flinching as Balinor glared at him. Arthur couldn't work his jaw for a moment, unshed tears gathering on his lower lids, if he blinked they would gush out. He did, and they did so. Arthur closed his eyes, trying to breathe, almost seeing what had been done, what his father had done. He took a terrible, painful breath and opened his eyes, looking back at Balinor. The Dragonlord hadn't moved, he was staring at Arthur intently the man's entire body tensed with emotion.
Though the rattling noise of the army outside Arthur managed to say, his voice choking violently.
"It's no wonder you hate me."
Balinor blinked and Arthur watched his expression change, to one of something close to astonishment. The Dragonlord fought it for a moment but then his face softened, his eyes glistening with tears as he recalled those memories.
"I don't hate you," Balinor announced shakily. "I don't think I do."
"I wouldn't blame you if you did. How could someone do that?"
Arthur turned his head, pressing his cheek against the wood of the tree, his eyes closing. He wanted to be sick. With that image floating in his mind he just wanted to have nothing to do with anything. He just wanted to be quiet and alone somewhere. Maybe Merlin could be there, in the little segment of his mind where peaceful things lived.
"I don't know. I still to this day, do not know. Instead I just see it."
Arthur shook his head. "No, no; no one could have done that."
Opening his eyes he turned to look back at Balinor. But there was no denying it, Uther had done it. Arthur felt almost relieved that he didn't remember him. He didn't want to be in danger of feeling any shred of affection over a man who could do something like that.
"So you stopped him."
"It wasn't difficult. Once the kings could be persuaded to band together, backed up by the promise of help from those with magic, and the use of the dragon. Too many people lost kin to Uther's purge."
"But he used magic himself, because of me."
Balinor's expression turned brooding again. "His arrogance was his undoing. He heeded none of the warnings that to create a life, the force of another must be given in return. It was the natural order of things that it was Igraine. She carried you, for months you shared her life. Why Uther even thought that she would be spared baffled us all. Nimueh warned him."
Arthur frowned. "Nimueh, the priestess on the Isle Of The Blessed? But she looked so young, how could she have been there?"
"She can change how she is perceived. For assisting she was more persecuted than most, she should never have given Uther her assistance and because of that all sides reviled her."
"But they don't now," Arthur said. "Except perhaps Morgause." He shivered a little as he remembered the hatred in her gaze.
"Nimueh protected the Isle when Uther tried to attack. She still possessed phenomenal power. Many of those with magic, retreated there for protection. Uther thought she was dead, he had witnessed her cut down on this very spot."
Arthur frowned, hands clenching, his nails digging into the bark of the tree he clung to. The one that had been put here by a sorceress.
"It was her, with the rowan staff."
"Yes, she is tightly entwined in this, she created you after all."
Arthur stared at him, still clinging tightly to the tree and turning his head Arthur returned his gaze to the armies camped outside. For a moment Balinor lingered, watching Arthur, before he turned and slowly walked away.
It was a little while later that Percival came up to find him. Arthur had watched the comings and goings of the camp, seeing people setting up cooking pots, feeding and grooming the horses. He wondered what those people made of the situation, or did they even know why they had been ordered out, to attack the tumbledown castle of Camelot.
"Oi!" Percival eventually said. Arthur turned his head, and Percival smirked at him. "Oh, you are awake then."
"Sorry," Arthur said, shifting out of position, wincing as he stretched his legs, his right one having gone to sleep. "What were you saying?"
"Gwen has cooked supper, and you haven't eaten since breakfast. Merlin has been tearing his hair out wondering where you had disappeared off to."
"Oh!"
Arthur stood up a little too quickly and his sleeping leg almost went out from under him. Percival grabbed his arm to stop him tumbling.
"Sorry," Arthur said and then realised Percival wasn't even looking at him. His attention had moved to the camped army outside, a frown slowly crossing over, and settling on his face. Arthur steadied himself and turned to follow the knight's gaze. He kept shifting his leg as pins and needles started to prickle over his limb.
"That doesn't look good," Percival murmured.
Arthur stared as the group of men who were moving swiftly, looking armed and ready. Fortunately Arthur had seen enough in his time to understand what Percival meant.
"They can't be attacking now, surely."
"Night time attacks aren't all that common, but we only have a small number of men to patrol about. We need to warn Merlin, we don't have much time before they move in."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"What the hell are you doing?" Merlin demanded as during the frantic mobilisation he came face to face with Arthur. An Arthur who now wore chain mail and armour, thick leather gloves and Excalibur settled in his belt, whose blade he occasionally tangled in his legs as he walked.
"Getting ready," Arthur said nervously.
"Merlin! It's looks like they are moving to the south wall! They are heading in through the town by the look of it!"
Merlin and Arthur exchanged shocked glances.
"They have to know that everyone has fled from there," Arthur said.
"Maybe not. Perhaps they just don't want to go through the Darkling Woods at night," Merlin said tersely before turning to Percival. "How far did you get with the traps?"
The large man shrugged. Some of the nearer structures will collapse if anyone enters them, which will slow a few of them down. We've blocked the streets as much as we can, but we didn't have that much to work with."
"The town is so roughly made that some of the streets intersect strangely, some of the force might not be able to negotiate as easily as us," Leon said, not sounding entirely hopeful. Lancelot looked much the same.
"Or they could send men who have been part of Merlin's force, which means they do, and they know us."
"They are going to make us meet them in the town and then sacrifice it, forcing us back into the citadel. Bayard does not want to waste time, the sooner he pushes us in the easier it will be for him," Merlin said grimly.
"What do we do?" Arthur asked.
"Even if we are forced to retreat and give up the town, there is no reason to make it easy for him. What you do is stay right here, out of harm's way!"
"But…" Arthur stumbled, struggling under Merlin's stern gaze, his desire to concede, as was his habit, riding over everything else.
"Merlin, you can't tell him that," Lancelot said. "He has to be seen to stand there and fight for this."
"It is about me," Arthur said, strengthened by Lancelot's words. "Without me they wouldn't be cowering in the citadel."
"Merlin, between us we can keep him safe. He knows enough to defend himself."
"Against you on a training field!" Merlin hissed. "Not a full battle situation!"
"Quite frankly, this will only be a gentle push from Bayard. He'll want to know how we will react. Putting Arthur into the fray might disconcert him enough," Percival said.
"You have to treat him as if he is the Once And Future King," Balinor announced as he lingered closer by. The Dragonlord had also dressed for the battle.
"I am doing," Merlin said. "If he goes out there, he will be the main target. We can't have him falling at the first hurdle."
Arthur blinked, looking mildly irritated. "I'm not going to. I can't exactly be hidden away forever."
Merlin's blue eyes burned with fury, but he had been firmly backed into the corner.
"Fine, but you stay with us. Percival keep with him at all times, whatever else happens you do not leave his side!"
Percival nodded. Arthur swallowed heavily, Merlin's tone causing the first prickle of nerves, a cold sensation gathering in the pit of his stomach, while under his arms and on the back of his neck he felt the heat of sweat.
"Lancelot, you're with us as well. Leon and Elyan, take your teams and stay on the flanks, and as many guards on the walls as possible. We need lookouts. Chances are they will only come through the town but lets keep eyes everywhere."
Arthur watched them all nod, and Leon and Elyan ran off ordering their groups of men waiting in the courtyard to follow them. Arthur's hand went to the hilt of his sword, holding it lightly.
"Don't pull that until you need to, and don't wave it at anyone unless you are prepared to use it," Percival told him. Arthur nodded, swallowing nervously again.
"Stay as close as you can," Merlin advised him. "We'll head down the main street. You barricaded that area?"
Percival nodded. Merlin glanced at Arthur again.
"If you think you need to fall back just go."
His eyes moved to Percival. Percival nodded in return.
"I'll stay with him."
Arthur felt immensely glad of that. The outwardly placid knight was generally a reassuring presence.
"Merlin! They've breached the gateway!"
"Well, then, let's go and greet our unwanted guests."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
The soldiers rushed the streets, although the first four houses crumbled as they were investigated. It became obvious in moments that the town had been emptied and booby trapped. Bayard moved at the front of the scouting party keeping as close to the shadows as possible. He could see the archers on the battlements, waiting to take aim. With just the moonlight it became an almost impossible job as the flickers of light cast dark shadows across the ram-shackled buildings.
Just as he started to move further forward, raising a hand to indicate for his men to follow a light flared from the battlements. Bayard cursed, backing up. He couldn't clearly here the words that called out, but he knew what it meant.
The shimmering ball of light surged into the air, bobbing over the cluster of homes like a miniature sun lighting the shadows. Seconds later the arrows rained down on them. Bayard lifted his shield to deflect them and dodged into an alleyway, the roofs of the two hovels almost meeting over his head to give him shelter. He heard a few cries from his men as they were struck, and then another sound came to him. Darting forward he looked out to see Merlin's force advance through the gate, and the light dimmed, allowing them still to see, but it didn't blind them as it had Bayard's men.
Blinking to clear his vision the king inched forward warily, his men moving up behind him. He lifted a hand to indicate for them to halt as he saw Merlin's force shift in the shadows by the archway that led into the citadel. In front of them a barricade blocked the main street. Bayard waited as Merlin's soldiers moved forward, and the king clenched his jaw as he saw the future Dragonlord leading the way.
Then the muscles in his face slackened, eyes widening as the glowing orb highlighted the hair of the person on Merlin's right. Bayard stared at Arthur, who now held Excalibur in his hand, staying as close to Merlin as possible, Percival flanking him on the other side. Bayard's eyes narrowed as he realised his prize lay directly in front of him. Turning his head he glanced at Maleagant and nodded.
Maleagant responded with a curt nod and then shifted the crossbow he carried on his back struck a flint. The oil on the head of the arrow ignited and he shot it into the air. Seconds later the bugle sounded, calling the squadron of soldiers from the Mercian army. They charged through the gateway and Bayard shifted from the shadows to lead the advance as they flooded the town to meet Merlin's army head on.