Arthur looked around at his councillors and knights sitting on either side of the long table, trying not to look as though he'd just been told off by a scrawny former servant. The rest of the men in the room looked at each other sheepishly, like small boys who had just been scolded.
"I suppose we just have to wait now," Elyan said.
"I think we should talk to Mithian about Danson Keep, and see if she knows anything," said Arthur.
"But she's not really an official member of the government," Elyan said. "Would she know anything?"
"Well, I'm inclined to agree with Merlin that Donal's immediate family would likely have had nothing to do with this—after all, they just went from renting a small farm to a owning a kingdom. You'd think they'd be satisfied for a few years, at least. And I refuse to interrogate a ten year old boy. Mithian is the only option," Arthur said.
"Do you think, Sire—" Leon began, and then appeared to lose his nerve. Apparently Merlin had been right and the knights did not feel comfortable arguing with him, at least here at court. They seemed to be quite fine with arguing with him on hunting trips and other adventures.
"Well, out with it," Arthur said. "You may speak your mind."
"Perhaps leaving the ten year old king in the dungeons is not, entirely, well, advisable," he said. "I mean, he will grow up sometime…"
"Very well, release them all under guard and ask Mithian to join us here," Arthur said.
Arthur sent a servant to fetch Gwen, realizing that he had now engaged Mithian's affections, dropped her, essentially refused to help her when her father died, and thrown her in a dungeon. If he wasn't at war with Nemeth already, he might well be soon. Gwen might be able to smooth things over…thinking about who else might be able to make his actions seem reasonable, he sent for Gaius as well.
Gwen entered the room and Arthur moved to join her, but was interrupted by Geoffrey.
"Sire, I do not think it proper that you allow that-that sorcerer to speak to you or any of us like that. You do not want people to think that you take orders from him, do you?" Geoffrey said.
Arthur looked around him, wishing he could just keep walking past him to his wife. He sighed and looked at Geoffrey. "If he'd been telling me to empty the armory or reorder the social system, perhaps I'd agree with you. However, all he really told me to do was to listen to my councillors. You're one of the councillors. Why would you object to having more input?"
"Well, it was more the manner of his advice, Sire," Geoffrey said.
"I think if I can forgive him for his manners the rest of you can," Arthur said. "If you'll excuse me…"
Arthur made his way to Gwen. "I think I've really messed up our relationship with Nemeth now. They'll never forgive me."
"I don't know, Arthur," Gwen said. "Donal is a little boy. Being thrown in a dungeon, especially if it is only temporary, is the secret hope of little boys everywhere. Didn't you tell me you used to constantly try to play down there?"
"Whenever I could get away with it," Arthur said.
Mithian entered the room with Donal and several guards. Mithian said nothing, only looked indignant. Arthur was immensely glad he hadn't married her. He had a feeling if he had he would have faced that look a lot.
"I'm very sorry for my rash actions. We've sent our court sorcerer to see what is happening in Keep Danson, and we will reserve judgment until he returns," Arthur said.
"For goodness sake, Arthur, if we knew about this, why would we have agreed to come? Being thrown in a dungeon is not my idea of a good time," Mithian said.
"It's not the worst way to pass a few hours," murmured Donal. "But the provided lunch left something to be desired."
"I'll send for some food," Gwen asked, rising and speaking to a servant.
"Arthur, whatever you decide to do to my regents, I want to be involved in the decision," Donal said.
"I can't take you to the keep. You're not a trained knight. I should not place you in such danger," Arthur said.
"They're my regents, and they might have started a war! Besides that, they could have gotten me killed. I deserve to be there," Donal said.
"Merlin will protect us," Mithian said.
"I don't see why you need to go as well," Arthur said.
"You owe me, Arthur. Do this one favour for me. I want to see this through as much as Donal. Besides, his parents want me to look out for him. Strangely enough, they no longer trust you."
"I'm sure Merlin can protect them," Gwen said.
"There's good news and bad news," Merlin said, walking into the room.
"You've gone and came back already?" Arthur said in disbelief.
"Yes. Glad to see you've let our friends out of the dungeon," Merlin said.
"What is happening at Danson?" Arthur asked.
"I snuck around a bit, and from what I could gather, the Nemeth force has no intentions of invading Camelot. In fact, they fully expect to be welcomed with open arms," Merlin said.
"Why would we do that?"
"Because Morgana has been impersonating the Keep's daughter—she gave them some sob story about one of her brothers murdering the other brother and killing her sister and mother. Apparently none of the siblings even existed, and the mother died years ago, but she and Lord Thano have got the lord of the Keep in the dungeon for killing them. She said she meant to run to Camelot for your help, but got lost, and went to Nemeth instead," Merlin said.
"I can't imagine Morgana getting lost," Arthur said. "Wait a moment, how did you know it's her? Did you see her? Has she told them who she truly is?"
"No, I saw one of the soldiers I knew from my visit to Nemeth, and asked him about her. He said she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, with dark hair and pale skin," Merlin said. "I summoned Morgana's image in a pail of water and he told me that was the woman they had agreed to help."
"This woman—it's Arthur's half-sister, the sorceress?" Mithian asked.
"Actually she's a witch, and a high priestess of the old religion," Gaius said. "She is no one to be trifled with. You and the boy should remain here where you will be safe."
"Merlin can protect us," Mithian said.
"Actually, I don't know if I can," Merlin said. "I've fought with Morgana before, and we are very evenly matched. I nearly died. That day I was not spending part of my energy protecting someone else, but I this time I must protect Arthur. She'll kill both Arthur and I if she has the chance. I can't promise that I can protect two other people. I won't," Merlin said.
"We have the right to go," Donal said.
"Then you go without my protection," Merlin said, looking at Donal levelly.
Donal took a moment, and then spoke. "I would be a danger to everyone if I go. Because of my age it is obvious who I am. I see that now. If you would please let my aunt go in my place, Arthur—she can stay well back. She could go to tend to the wounded—no one needs to know who she is. I trust her to speak up if something is happening counter to the interests of my kingdom."
"I promise you, I will do my best to resolve this situation without bloodshed," Arthur said.
"Thank you," King Donal said.
"Now all you have to do is decide how you want to resolve it," Merlin said.
"What do you mean?" Arthur said. "We just ride up and tell them they're being deceived."
"But what if she's put the regents under a spell?" Gwen asked. "They may not just give in, even if they had no intention of fighting you when they set out."
"Also, Sire, I worry about the strategic importance of Danson Keep," Gaius said.
"Merlin seems to think it hasn't any strategic importance," Arthur said.
"Exactly. We know that Morgana is a keen strategist who was trained by Morgause, who was a genius in matters of warfare. Why take an unimportant keep? When Morgause and Cenred invaded, they attacked on two fronts—from outside the castle walls, and from inside the castle walls. What if this time Morgana means to split your forces, and attack the castle while you are in the far corner of the Kingdom?"
"But who would she have convinced to join her?" Arthur asked.
"That, I cannot say," Gaius said.
"I could probably find a way to look over the kingdom to see if there's an army massing," Merlin said.
"The dragon?" Mithian asked.
"Please tell me I don't have to worry about a dragon on top of everything else," Arthur said. Mithians eyes widened and she looked at Merlin apologetically. Arthur looked at Merlin. "What am I missing?"
"I was going to tell you," Merlin said. "I'm…a dragonlord."
"A dragonlord? So Balinor—"
"Was my father," Merlin finished.
"Oh. So when you say you have a way to look over the kingdom—"
"I was going to ride the dragon," Merlin finished.
"Oh," Arthur said.
"Yeah," Merlin agreed.
"The same one that attacked Camelot?" Arthur asked. "You said I killed him. You liar!"
"Well, yeah," Merlin said. "I sort of, commanded him not to attack Camelot anymore. But I had to tell you something, and you had already stabbed him with that lance."
"So you trust that evil dragon not to dump you onto the ground?" Arthur asked.
"A dragon must obey a dragonlord," Gaius said.
"So you could command a dragon to destroy our enemies?" Arthur asked.
"Well, yes, but I would hesitate to use him that way. I mean, it's not really fair, is it? I mean, if Camelot was about to fall, I would call Kilgharrah. But it would always be a last resort. You saw the devastation an attack by him can cause. He attacks indiscriminately—he sees no difference between killing innocents and combatants. I would not do that to my worst enemy, without a proper cause."
Arthur looked at Merlin as if he was just seeing him for the first time. Just a day before he had been worried about one man having both Merlin's magic, and his influence with a king. Now he learned that Merlin could command a dragon? A dragon. A dragon could turn the course of a war. It could enslave a nation. And yet Merlin seemed to see that that power was frightening and awe inspiring.
Arthur fought laughter—thinking that now Geoffrey of Monmouth might not find him so uppity. It's hard to be offended at anything said by someone who can call a dragon to defend himself.
"I can't think about this right now," he said aloud. "Merlin, survey the territory and join us on the road when you are finished. I will take a small force and head towards Danson Keep. Sir Leon, the castle is yours to defend."
"Bring a horse for me and I will catch up to you this evening," Merlin said.