Kilgarrah decide he needed to act, he needed to speak to his dragonlord, but he knew that it was impossible for him to contact him how he had intended to. Uther Pendragon had covered that and he daren't risk it. But Uther didn't control everything. Nor did he know everything, like many people who considered themselves omnipresent in their powers Uther hadn't thought of everything. All Kilgarrah had to do was wait for the footsteps coming down to the cave and he would put his own plans in motion, destiny would not be denied.

Arthur and the patrol arrived back in Camelot, they had met a further group of bandits after the first lot, but with no sorcerer and outnumbering the enemy the knights dealt with the threat with no magical intervention. Arthur preferred not to totally rely on sorcerers, he wanted to keep his knights sharp and self-reliant. Arthur reported to the King before he went to bath and clean up. Uther was pleased with the progress and that Merlin had killed, it seemed Aredian's fears were either over exaggerated or the witch finder was looking after his own interests.

Uther told his son to sit "Aredian has been to see me, he thinks you too soft on the boy, and he is becoming troublesome in training I understand"

Arthur bristled "I am able to control the boy, perhaps it is Aredian's methods that are at fault and not mine" he looked at his father "The Witch finder can be unnecessarily cruel, the boy is young much can be achieved with a very small amount of kindness wrapped in an iron glove" Arthur was careful he knew that his father didn't tolerate any weakness so he could show none. "He performed well on patrol with no need to force him. The only extra he was given as an apple meant for my horse, yet the boy acted as if I were his saviour. I want him to grow loyal like one of my hunting dogs"

Arthur hated what he was saying but he knew just how Uther thought, that the sorcerers were less than human and he wanted Merlin kept away from Aredian. Uther smiled, his son was growing to be a good strategist, at sixteen he was already thinking like a man of older years.

"Would you like to take over all his training then?" he asked his son.

Arthur realised he was being tested "No, I don't train my dogs so why should I train a sorcerer. But I won't be questioned by Aredian on how I treat him out of training. But with your permission I was thinking it might be an idea to use the boy during the knights training. To help me prepare the men against Magical attack. I dislike having to rely on collared sorcerers"

Uther nodded "Why the boy and not one of the men?"

Arthur smirked "Because they have even less reason to help than the boy! They can remember being free I doubt the boy can" Uther didn't know after all that Arthur knew Merlin had been born in a cell. "He will be better …. persuaded"

Uther patted Arthur on the back "You think clearly my boy, go ahead"

"Thank you Sire, I will work on him first but I should be ready soon, he is already like a puppy following me. It won't take much before he will do anything I say without thought, Not that he thinks much, the boy is an idiot"

Arthur left his father and went back to his chambers, on the way he was stopped by an irate Morgana "I heard you, talking to Uther! How can you talk about Merlin like that I thought better of you"

Arthur grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her into some empty chambers "You risked eavesdropping! Don't be a fool. What I said was to protect Merlin not hurt him. Aredian is a sadistic man, I don't want Merlin near him but father would never agree to that, what I said was to protect Merlin no more. Now don't be a fool Morgana"

Morgana had the grace to look ashamed "It sounded like you thought of Merlin as less than human" she protested

"Good, that's what I wanted father to think, if I am to one day free Merlin and the others I must play the waiting game, it might be years before I am in a position to free where I can do that. You must trust me Morgs. Now let's get out of here before we are seen."

Arthur left the room allowing Morgana to follow afterwards. When he got back to his room a bath was waiting and a meal, Merlin was chained in his place by the door. Arthur bathed and allowed George to dress him in clean clothes before he sat to eat. As George went to dispose of the water Arthur threw George the key to the chain. "Let the boy free he can use my dirty water he stinks, I don't want to put with that overnight"

George looked most put out that a sorcerer should use a Royal tub but did as he was told. Merlin stripped and got in the water. Arthur looked at the young sorcerer "Wash your clothes in the water boy, they can dry overnight, no point in your dressing in filthy clothes. Merlin washed himself and then once he had dried himself in a cloth George threw him he wrapped it round his waist before washing his ragged clothes. Then went and curled up under his blanket. George started to empty the tub and looked at the washed clothes and took them through with him to put them to dry. When he had gone to empty the water Arthur grinned at Merlin "Feel better?"

Merlin nodded it was better than the cold water he normal got to wash in. Arthur took a piece of bread and cheese from his plate and threw it at Merlin. "Eat that but don't let George see you, otherwise he might cut my ration"

Merlin grinned at him and Arthur couldn't help but think what a tough life the boy had had if such small things made him happy.