I've tried to post this twice but my apartment's internet is so slow that the connection times out. So here we go, a new chapter, a little later than expected, but it means the next update will seem faster :P

Arthur let Merlin wriggle off his lap while they waited for Gwen to return. He skipped happily to Arthur's desk and sat down, looking at him in a silent plea for permission. Arthur nodded, suppressing a sigh at Merlin's continued need for constant permission. They had plenty of time to work on that, he reminded himself.

Morgana watched, smiling indulgently at Merlin. Her indulgence disappeared as soon as she turned to face Arthur. "Are you going to tell me what the dragon said now?"

Arthur sighed. "Morgana! Can you not wait for us to meet with Gaius?"

"Oh, come on, Arthur! Just tell me. I'll even pretend like I'm hearing it for the first time."

Arthur shook his head, exasperated. "No, Morgana. All together and not a moment before. Besides, there is a greater mystery at hand." It was time for strategic maneuvers!

Morgana narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

Arthur quirked his eyebrows playfully. "What Merlin bought us for Yule!"

Morgana pursed her lips but Arthur knew he was successful when she stood and walked over to Merlin. "I'm sure he got me something very pretty. Isn't that right, Merlin?"

Merlin paused drawing long enough to shake his head at her, still looking equally cheeky and cheerful.

"Hah! He's not telling, is he? What about for me, Merlin? What did you get for me?" Arthur leaned back in his chair, relishing the normalcy of the moment.

Merlin stuck his tongue out at Arthur without even looking up. Morgana laughed, ruffling his hair. "Will you at least tell us what you're drawing, Merlin?"

Merlin shook his head and Arthur barked out a deep laugh. "Our Merlin is holding tight to his secrets, isn't he?" Merlin pouted briefly before his face broke out in a grin. "When did you become so cheeky, Merlin?" She lifted him onto her hip and tickled him.

Arthur walked over, saying, "Cheeky, indeed! This calls for serious methods of interrogation!" He didn't miss the flash of fear on Merlin's face as Arthur took hold of him. Arthur groaned internally as he reviewed his words.

He didn't hesitate. He lifted Merlin's shirt and blew onto his belly hard. "Tell us, Merlin, or we'll keep tickling you!"

Merlin's laughter was nervous at first, but with Morgana joining in on the tickling, it became more natural. Arthur was relieved. He hadn't wanted to ruin Merlin's good day with his careless words. He handed Merlin back to Morgana and lifted up Merlin's latest drawing. He recognized the shape of a booth. On it was drawn a single box piled high with squiggles. "Merlin, is this one of the market booths?"

Merlin nodded and tried to grab the paper back. Arthur let him have it and watched as Morgana settled him back into his seat. Merlin picked up his quill and carefully dipped into the ink before drawing another box next to the first. He filled it in with more squiggles, these more rounded.

Arthur tried to guess which booth Merlin might be drawing. "Is this one of the booths you visited today?"

Merlin nodded. They watched as he drew what looked like a flattened wheel of cheese. Next to it, he drew a pile of squared blocks. "Oh! It's the sweets booth, right?" Morgana's voice was high pitched, revealing her excitement.

Merlin grinned at her, nodding happily.

"You should give it to Leon. It's not often the man acts like a normal person. He's always so serious!" Merlin looked at him disbelievingly. "I've known him my whole life and never seen him eating sweets, Merlin." It wasn't strictly true. Arthur knew that Leon had a sweet tooth; the man stocked up on barley candies before every long patrol! But it was true that while Leon could be deeply tender and fatherly, it came in very sparing doses. Leon was a total sap, but he hid it very well behind a stoic facade.

In truth, he was grateful to Leon for accompanying Merlin today and he knew that Leon would treasure one of Merlin's drawings. There was, however, no way he was going to say that with Morgana in the room, who was currently protesting loudly…

…by slapping Arthur on the arm. "Don't be mean, Arthur! Leon is perfectly normal." Arthur froze and she quickly added, "Isn't he, Merlin?"

"Since when are you protective of any of my men?" He studied her reaction carefully.

Morgana stared at him squarely. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you implying that I'm not normal either?"

He grinned. "Of course, not. I know you're not normal." He dodged another slap and quickly rounded the table. Morgana followed, not looking as upset as she normally would be when Arthur teased her.

"That means nothing coming from you, Arthur. Everyone knows you're a troll!" They rounded the table.

Arthur halted in his tracks. "I am not!" He easily caught the pillow she threw at him, confirming his suspicion that Morgana was playing along with him, only acting upset, otherwise it wouldn't have been a pillow she threw – nor would he have seen it coming.

They chased each other around the table, trading taunts that were far gentler than their usual, neither of them missing Merlin's wide-eyed amusement. He watched them in mild disbelief, gasping at each teasing barb, but overall looking like he wasn't sure if it was safe to laugh but he really wanted to laugh. When Gwen returned with their food, Arthur took advantage of the distraction to slip past Morgana and pick up Merlin, holding him up like a shield and saying, "Merlin, help! You'll help me, won't you?" Merlin giggled nervously, holding his hands straight out.

Morgana stood with her hands on her hips with an eyebrow cocked. "Well, I suppose we can call a truce, for Merlin's sake. But only if Merlin gives me a hug!" Arthur set Merlin down and watched him run straight to Morgana who eagerly picked him up. Merlin sat with her while they ate which had Morgana smirking at him over Merlin's head. She also gleefully used one of Arthur's clean shirts to wipe Merlin's nose, prompting another playfight easily settled by another hug from Merlin. Arthur let her have the moment, knowing that she was ever so slightly jealous of Merlin's attention. He played along, acting jealous, and maybe even enjoying the moment himself. As they grew, he and Morgana had had less opportunities to act like normal siblings. All too often, their interactions were dampened by courtly etiquette. It was entertaining… and comforting.

Not wanting any more delays, he summoned another servant to take away the dishes so Guinevere could accompany them to Gaius' chambers. Merlin continued to hold Morgana's hand but made sure to take Arthur's hand as well, happily skipping between them as they walked through the castle. Already, the halls were filled with servants bustling by on Yule preparations. The courtyard was busy too, for now the focus being on setting up a training space for the knights to resume training. Seeing the temporary tents being set up, Arthur knew he would have to tell Merlin tonight about the new arrangements. He only hoped Merlin felt secure enough now that he wouldn't overly stress out.

When they arrived, Gaius' chambers were empty, and cold enough to have been empty for a while. In order to forestall another line of questioning from Morgana, Arthur immediately busied himself. Guinevere, either because of her practical nature or because she sensed Arthur's motivations, jumped in as well, calling for firewood and going down to the kitchens to stock up Gaius' bare larder. Arthur checked through the potions inventory and began pulling out ingredients. Morgana watched in consternation, finally sighing and asking quietly, "What can I do to help?"

Arthur glanced up. He nodded toward the pile of fresh herbs waiting to be dried. He'd passed on Gaius' remark to Leon who had somewhat gleefully sent out the squires and junior knights to retrieve as many herbs as possible. They'd come back with more weeds than useful items, but it was enough to bolster Gaius' supplies for a few busy weeks. "Can you bundle those? No thicker than this," he said, holding up his forefinger and thumb in a small ring.

Morgana nodded. Arthur looked around the room, realizing that Merlin had been extra quiet. He was startled to find Merlin on the upper level, standing on tiptoe to read the titles of the books on the shelves. It made Arthur a little uncomfortable to see Merlin up there – the railing was loose and the floor creaked ominously, as he knew from personal experience. "Merlin, why don't you come down here? Bring a book if you like."

Merlin headed down right away, as if Arthur had ordered it, and came to stand at Arthur's side. Arthur sighed and ruffled his hair. Merlin sniffled and wiped his nose with his sleeve, prompting Arthur to turn back to the shelves of vials. Picking one out, he sat Merlin on the table. "This should help with your runny nose, Merlin."

Merlin glanced from Arthur to the vial and back with a small frown. He didn't need to speak for Arthur to hear the question; how do you know that's the right one?

He chuckled. "I've spent a lot of time helping Gaius. He's taught me a thing or two. Trust me, Merlin."

Having said the magic words, Merlin opened his mouth, already grimacing in anticipation of the foul taste. Heaving a laugh, Arthur tipped the vial into his mouth in one go, turning to pull another jar off the shelf. He tipped out one of the hard candies in the jar and popped into Merlin's mouth. Merlin made a questioning sound. "They're honey, lemon, and ginger candies. Gaius makes them to soothe sore throats, but they're also useful for getting rid of the bitter taste of his medicines!" Arthur popped one into his own mouth and held one out for Morgana.

They worked quietly after that, Morgana bundling herbs and Arthur boiling willow bark to make the fever tonic. Gwen returned and set to cooking a stew for Gaius. Merlin alternated between watching him and reading a book he pulled out from the back room. Arthur recognized it as one describing flowering herbs and he smiled, remembering it from his own childhood.

Merlin was helping Gwen taste the stew when Gaius returned, pleasantly surprised to find them there. Arthur took his kit from him and led him to the old armchair by the fire. He could feel the chill radiating from Gaius. "Take a rest, Gaius. You look like you've been on your feet all day."

Gaius settled into the chair with a groan. "This winter seems milder but it seems to me that there are just as many sick people as ever. The lower town doctors just aren't equipped to handle the volume of patients they are receiving. I'm helping out with the worst cases now, but as soon as our Yule visitors arrive, I'll be expected to attend patients here. We'll have to push for more apprentices next year; I might even have to take on one myself."

Gwen brought Gaius a hot cup of tea and draped a blanket on his lap. Arthur went back to mixing up the tonic, preparing to distribute it into the waiting vials. Morgana was nearly done bundling and she waved Gwen over to help her hang them.

Merlin hadn't moved from where he was when Gaius entered, a little too close to the fire for Arthur's comfort. Gaius hadn't noticed, focused as he was on guiding Gwen and Morgana on hanging the herbs in certain areas around the room. Merlin was watching Gaius pensively, a small frown on his face, his cheeks pinked by the warmth of the fire. Morgana caught Arthur's eye and raised an eyebrow but he shook his head. Merlin wasn't having a flashback, he was thinking, and Arthur wanted to leave him to it. He was curious but not concerned.

Merlin eventually approached Gaius slowly until he stood in front of him, wringing his hands. Gaius gently focused on him, giving him time and space to muster his words. Merlin stared at the ground for a while longer before taking a breath. "Um… are you m-m-my uncle?" He mumbled so quietly, and his voice dipped in volume, that it sounded more like, "Um… are…uncle?" Arthur didn't miss the stutter either. It was happening less now, but it seemed like anxiety could still bring it back.

Gaius coughed a bit, he was so surprised by Merlin's question. "Hunith wasn't my sister by blood, Merlin, merely by mutual acceptance of each other. But I can be, if you would like."

Merlin didn't answer or look up, still wringing his hands. "Um, would… are you…" The stops and starts were killing Arthur, as he was sure they were killing Gaius. In fact, everyone had stopped working in favor of watching Merlin intently. "Will I have t-to…" Merlin's breathing had accelerated, but he couldn't seem to finish his question. The tension in the room was palpable.

While Arthur was still puzzling out the question, Gaius leaned forward and took Merlin's hands, stopping him from wringing his hands. "I have no intention of taking you from Arthur, Merlin, or making any sort of claim on your guardianship." Merlin met Gaius' gaze. "But I am here for you, Merlin, in whatever capacity you want."

Merlin hesitated a moment longer, and then climbed into Gaius' lap to give him a hug, and everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. "Uncle Gaius," Merlin murmured contentedly. Arthur couldn't help but smile as he watched Merlin retrieve his book and settle next to Gaius under his blanket. Without a doubt, the prospect of any additional family appealed to Merlin – so long as he could stay with Arthur. The latter was enough to soothe Arthur's jealousy, both of Merlin's attention to Gaius and Gaius' complete focus on Merlin.

They finished their tasks while Gaius quietly explained to Merlin which herbs could be magically enhanced. They did not practice the spells, but Gaius showed him how to reveal the hidden spells written in the margins of the pages. Arthur ignored another pang of jealousy – those spells would have been useless to him anyway. Even without incanting, speaking the words of magic brought out sparks of gold in Merlin's eyes; Arthur would have to make sure Merlin was careful where he practiced.

Once Arthur was finished, Gwen cleared the table and set out their supper. It was a miracle Morgana held out as long as she did, it really was. But no sooner were they seated, than did she speak up, "Now will you tell us about the dragon?"

Arthur sighed as Merlin giggled beside him. "It was all rather anticlimactic. I went down again last night to talk, that's it." Arthur ignored Morgana's raised brow. "I didn't really expect him to want to cooperate but I just wanted him to listen. All I did was tell him about Merlin, how I found him, how much healing he had to do. I wanted him to understand why Merlin was afraid and I wanted him to believe that I'm not going to hurt Merlin. That I'm going to protect him." He curled an arm around Merlin, "It seemed to me that it all turned sour because he thought I wanted to use or hurt Merlin. That's why my focus was to show him that I would never do anything to hurt him. I must have talked for an hour or more when I realized Merlin had followed me. When he came to me, that was when Kilgharrah actually came forward too. He heated some boulders for us, which was a good thing because I was freezing and Merlin couldn't be bothered to bring me any blankets."

Merlin threw his arms up. "I was cold t-too!"

Arthur winked at him, overjoyed to have gotten a spoken reaction from Merlin, and continued. "He apologized to Merlin for scaring him. I think he really cares about him."

Gaius nodded. "He does, I'm sure of it. I told you that Kilgharrah is likely the last dragon in existence. Merlin is now the last dragonlord. Theirs is the last such bond."

Morgana was unsatisfied. "Was that it? Didn't it say it wanted to warn Merlin about something?"

Arthur nodded, "He did, but he wanted time to think. He asked me a few more questions but that was it. He dismissed us and flew away."

"Think about what?" Morgana pressed.

"I don't know. He didn't really speak to me. He doesn't even like me. Besides, when a dragon decides it's done speaking to you, there's not a lot you can do but watch it fly off." Morgana gave him a pointed look. "And Merlin was cold and sleepy." Gwen giggled, recognizing Arthur's newfound tactic of distraction. Morgana rolled her eyes and laughed when Merlin indignantly poked Arthur in the side.

Gaius seemed lost in thought. "Gaius? What's on your mind?"

"I just worry about what Kilgharrah knows. I don't think he would have mentioned it if it weren't important, nor made such a fuss about summoning Merlin, but it's clear that things are not as he expected. Likewise, if it were important, he would have said so right away, but he no longer seems in such a hurry. Kilgharrah enjoys being cryptic, but I've never known him to be conflicting." Gaius sank into thought again.

Merlin glanced at Arthur, looking concerned. Arthur handed Merlin a bread roll. "Well, there's not much we can do now, except wait. In the meantime, we should enjoy Guinevere's wonderful cooking." Once again, he was grateful to Gwen for following his lead and spooning into her own bowl. Merlin waited until Morgana and Gaius began eating before tearing his roll into pieces and sprinkling them into his stew.

"I remember when you used to do the same thing, Arthur," Gaius commented, amusedly watching Merlin.

Morgana laughed. "Uther showed him and Merlin's done it ever since."

Arthur felt his ears burn. He hadn't made 'bread stew' since he was very young, but he did like watching Merlin eat so happily. It was satisfying on a number of levels. He smiled when Merlin looked up at him to reassure him.

They lingered after supper. Arthur managed to brew another tonic – this one for rheums – and leave another kettle boiling down licorice root overnight so Gaius could prepare a respiratory tonic in the morning. Morgana and Gwen finished hanging the herbs and then Morgana helped create labels for the finished vials. Gwen disappeared and returned with fresh linens for Gaius' bed which had Gaius mumbling apologetically in between continuing to teach Merlin. Merlin paid keen attention to what Arthur was doing and when he pointed to the right herbs in the book, Gaius let him practice a single spell to enhance the fever tonic.

Soon enough, it was Merlin's bedtime and they set off into the cold night to return. Merlin pulled Arthur to a stop in the courtyard, pointing up at the sky in awe. Arthur appreciated the beauty in a sky full of stars, but he knew it was a precious treat for Merlin and decided to indulge him a bit longer. Arthur bid the girls goodnight and carried Merlin to the battlements. He tucked Merlin against him, wrapping his more voluminous cloak over them both.

He leaned against the wall and watched Merlin for a few minutes. He stared upwards the way thirsty men looked at a lake and it made Arthur ache. He dearly wished he could hear Merlin's thoughts now. As it was, Arthur let him have a few minutes of peace, before broaching the subject of upcoming Yule preparations. "Merlin, you know, now, that Yule is only a few weeks away." Merlin nodded. "Well, there is a lot of preparation involved with it. It's a time for us to gather together and celebrate freely. Many lords and ladies will be coming to Camelot and staying in the castle. There are also some princesses coming!" Merlin was staring back at him blankly, not quite the reaction Arthur had hoped for. "With so many people coming, everyone will be working to make sure the rooms are ready, that there is plenty of food, and of course, organizing events to keep them entertained." Merlin was watching Arthur intently now, trying to guess Arthur's point.

"As the hosts, Uther, Morgana, and I are going to have to help with the preparations. In addition, I have to really focus on training for the tournament. That means we – I won't be able to spend as much time with you." Merlin's face fell. "But you won't be alone. Uther's chosen a maid to watch over you and keep you company."

Merlin's face slightly brightened. "Gwen?"

Arthur sighed. He could ask and he was fairly certain Morgana would easily agree, but it would be a great inconvenience to her and the steward. Gwen was one of the few servants the steward could trust in a supervisory capacity.

Arthur was fairly sure that Merlin would quickly warm up to his nanny – it was just the initial few days that would be awkward… he hoped.

"No, Merlin. I'm sorry, but she has her own duties too, on top of helping Morgana." Merlin was looking unhappier with every word. "I'm sure you'll like your nanny once you get to know her. She'll take you to your lessons, bring you your meals, and keep watch over you during your free time. There are some families with children; once they arrive, she'll take you to play with them. And you'll still see me, Merlin. After all, you live with me." Merlin seemed only slightly reassured by that. "I promise to reserve my evenings just for you, Merlin. And once the celebrations are in full swing, I'll be with you the whole time."

Merlin wouldn't meet Arthur's eyes. Arthur sighed and tipped his chin up. "If it makes it any better, after your lessons, I'll make sure you get to ride Tidbit every afternoon. And you can come watch us train in the afternoons, spend some time with me and the knights? Would you like that?"

Merlin nodded, but he was definitely sad now. He wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck and buried his face. Arthur sighed. "I'm not leaving you, Merlin. Not ever. This is just a busy time. In no time at all, you'll be having so much fun, you won't even miss me. You don't need me as much as you think you do, Merlin. No one in Camelot will hurt you, everyone loves you. At least give it a go. If it's too much, I'll find a way to get Gwen for you. Whatever you need, Merlin, just try it."

Merlin nodded but didn't unbury his head. Arthur settled for rubbing soothing circles in his back. "Do you want to go inside now?"

He felt Merlin nod. With a sigh, he headed back to his chambers. He didn't even try to settle Merlin down, instead carrying him about as he readied the room. He peeled Merlin off himself long enough to get them both changed, picking him back up immediately. He settled in bed, letting Merlin cling to his chest.

"I'm sorry I ruined your day, Merlin."

Merlin finally looked up at him. He shook his head. Good day.

"But I've made you sad."

Merlin shrugged and calmly sucked his thumb – and for some reason that made Arthur feel worse. It revealed just how accustomed Merlin was to unhappiness.

Still a good day.

Arthur had to admire Merlin's resilience. "Can I make it better?" Another shrug. "What would make you feel better, Merlin? I want you to have happy dreams."

Merlin didn't reply for a while. He seemed most reassured by close contact with Arthur, so he continued rubbing Merlin's back. Finally, Merlin propped himself up enough to meet his eyes and murmured, "C-can I – can I show you about t-t-today?"

Arthur was surprised. He expected a request for a story, or maybe a plea for Gwen after all. It was easy to say yes. "Can I ask why you want to show me?"

Again, Merlin was quiet for a long while. I want to show you what I did today.

Arthur sensed that Merlin was craving something more from it but didn't want to press. "I would love to see, Merlin."

What followed was a steady flow of Merlin's memories of the day. For the most part they were happy moments, though Merlin didn't skip the uncertain moments either. He saw snippets of his morning with Gwen and he was strangely jealous of her attentions.

But Arthur figured out what Merlin wanted when he showed him the memory before Leon came to his rescue. Merlin lingered on it, passing on his feelings as well as what he'd seen, and in this case, it was easy to see that the emotions were the most significant.

He was scared. He wanted to go out, but he hadn't realized they would be leaving the castle grounds. There were a lot of people outside the gate, what if someone recognized him? What if they tried to take him? He liked Gwen, but he wanted Arthur. He needed Arthur, because Arthur would keep him safe.

But Arthur wasn't there.

Arthur held Merlin tighter. He wished he could have been there for Merlin. He wished he could promise that Merlin wouldn't be recognized. It was not something he had thought about; Merlin was safe in the castle. Outside, traveling salesmen, or travelers in general, could recognize Merlin. He didn't know how many people had known about or even seen Merlin while he was with Cenred.

Gwen offered to go back and he felt ashamed. He'd been caught out. He didn't want to be afraid! He wanted to be brave. He promised Arthur he would be brave. And he really did want to go! He wanted to give presents too! Why couldn't he just go? Why wouldn't his feet move? His eyes burned and he was angry. He was not going to cry. Not going to cry. Not. Going. To. Cry.

Gaius liked to say that a parent's deepest desire was to spare their child any kind of suffering. Not for the first time, Arthur felt like he could understand that now. If he could wipe away all of Merlin's fears, he would. He was proud of Merlin for trying as hard as he did, but he didn't interrupt.

And then Leon was there.

Shame burned through him afresh. He hated that he was so weak. He didn't want Leon to see. Leon was like Arthur, big and strong. But Leon didn't bring it up, he made excuses, he asked Merlin for permission. Merlin didn't really believe his excuse, but he trusted Leon. Arthur trusted Leon. And Leon was a knight too. He had promised to protect Merlin too.

Leon took his hand.

Merlin took a deep breath.

His feet moved.

Arthur kissed the top of Merlin's head. "You were so brave, Merlin. I'm proud of you. It doesn't matter that you were scared or that you wanted one of us with you. You're little, it's only natural to want someone bigger with you when you go off on a new adventure."

Merlin relaxed then, the tension that had built when Arthur talked to him melting away with it. This was what he'd needed from Arthur, reassurance that he'd done well today.

The flow of Merlin's memories continued now. He saw glimpses of the guild house and various booths. He noticed that although Merlin felt secure with Leon, he kept careful watch for any sign of recognition. The vignettes slowly trailed off as Merlin's breathing deepened, finally becoming indistinct waves of color and undefined shapes. Echoes of voices came in waves, sometimes it was his own voice, other times it was that of a woman. Was he hearing Hunith's voice? Arthur held still, mesmerized as he realized that he was getting a glimpse into Merlin's dreams. He tried to will happy feelings into them even as he himself slipped into sleep.

Cenred took inventory of his personal zoo himself. The guards were not supposed to allow the removal of creatures without his presence, but Mordred wouldn't lie to him. A griffin had been taken away last night, and there was the empty cell to prove it.

He stomped down the corridor, ignoring the pitiful mewls of the newly caught Bastet. There, another empty cage, but he didn't remember what had been in it.

And another empty cell, this one formerly occupied by an afanc.

And at the end, his prize unicorn was gone too. It probably wasn't dead, otherwise Essetir would have been cursed already. Besides, Morgause hadn't wanted him to keep it in the first place. But just because he couldn't kill the creature, didn't mean Cenred couldn't keep it to show off his hunting prowess. She's probably let it go free, he thought.

He kicked a bucket out of his way and walked out. He summoned Mordred.

Mordred met him in the throne room with a deep bow. Cenred grasped him by the neck and pulled him to the Seeing bowl. "Get me Morgause."

Mordred obediently placed his hands on the bowl and incanted. Had Cenred been in a better mood, he would have appreciated Mordred's glowing eyes, but as it was he found it annoying.

The water shimmered and Morgause appeared, looking pale. "I'm busy, Cenred."

"I want to know what you think you're doing." He barely managed to keep his tone civil. His relationship with Morgause was already complicated; he didn't need to pick more fights with her, especially when she was already away.

She gave a disgruntled sigh, "Cenred, I don't have time to deal with this. I'm trying to track resources to fix your mistake and now I've got Nimueh having conniptions instead of helping me. I don't need you having fits too. Get to your point."

Cenred grit his teeth. "You're stealing from me."

Morgause didn't even try to deny it. "Everything I took, I'm using to help you. If you'd rather hoard your treasures like some kind of wannabe dragon, please, say so. I will be glad of the rest."

He ground his teeth. What more had she taken without his knowledge? "That's not what I mean. I would simply like the courtesy of knowing what you are doing."

"I would have liked the courtesy of you not letting our main pawn escape," she replied nastily. Taking a breath, she added more subdued. "Get back to playing general and training your army, Cenred. Leave me to deal with this and I'll be back as soon as I can. I don't like being away any more that you do. Mordred, begin using your magic to enhance your hand-to-hand combat skills. It will try your focus at first but work at it. I will test you myself when I return."

Without further ado, the water stilled and Cenred was left looking at his own reflection. In a fit of anger, he splashed the water out of the bowl. He stomped to his throne, ignoring how Mordred immediately caught the water and fed it back in.

He was sick of being treated like an errant child. It wasn't really his fault that Emrys had escaped. There had obviously been a plan, people involved in distracting him so that Emrys could get away. He'd done what he could, sending out tracking parties and retrieval squads but between the false trails and rough terrain, there had been no way to find him. No way to be sure which direction he'd taken.

But he suspected.

He hung on to that thought, letting his mind masticate on it.

He suspected.

And if he was right, then he may very well be able to get Emrys back without Morgause. She'd have to shut up then, for sure.

If he was right.

It was possible. Yule was approaching and with Yule, came the traditional celebrations.

Uther certainly did enjoy tradition.

"MORDRED!" He bellowed. They had to begin preparations now. He wasn't sure what day it was. He startled when Mordred stood up from where he'd been kneeling at his right hand. He cuffed him for catching him off guard. "Find Valiant."

He trailed after Mordred to the other side of the castle to one of the storage rooms. Even from outside, he could hear Valiant grunting and the exaggerated moans of his chosen partner.

He took great pleasure in striding in and catching them off guard. Valiant kicked away the girl who let out an indignant cry, and hurriedly tucked himself in. "Sire, how may I be of service?"

"You're supposed to be supervising the training of the young ones."

"They are running drills as we speak. I was merely taking a small respite."

Cenred would have liked to box his ears, but he needed Valiant in a pliable mood. "You're going on a trip. I'll have Perth make you new patents of nobility."

Valiant looked worried. It was unlike Cenred to let his knights have their papers, much less make them new documents. "Why will I need a new patent? Sire?"

Cenred began walking out, letting Valiant trail along. "You're going to a tournament. In Camelot."

Thanks for your reviews and comments! I love that you're asking questions, even if I don't intend to answer them until the story does... MUAHAHAHAHA!

Actually, if it makes you feel better, I'm just as curious as you to know the answers. This story has definitely taken on a life of it's own and I've reached that point where I really want to be the one reading it, not the one writing it... if that makes any sense at all! But don't worry, I'll keep writing and there is actually a plan - an overarching timeline to keep me on track. Even if I am behind schedule. I did intend to post the Yuletide chapter around the holidays, but at this rate, Yule is going to happen around Easter. Maybe. Earth day? Definitely before my birthday!

As always, I appreciate your comments, the short and the long.

Mersan123 - I was going to deny it, but my professor sat behind me in class and I then found a post it on my returned assignment that she liked my 'method' of notetaking. I'm just glad that I was drawing robots in my robotics class, hahaha.

Guest - I, too, look forward to more cheeky conversations! I'm glad to be getting Merlin more in-character with his show self.