Chapter Thirty

Uther stood alone in his chambers, looking out the window almost listlessly. He looked exhausted and spent, with his face pale and dark shadows under his eyes from a sleepless night. He stood looking out over Camelot as early morning crept across it.

Sir Leon had come to him last night with news of the escape attempt. At first he had been furious, now he was just too tired while a small part his mind almost wished it had been successful and Morgana was just safe and away.

Every time he had closed his eyes last night an image of Morgana, using magic to throw him back, flashed across his mind. He ached inside deeper than he had known pain could go. Sleep had been impossible.

There was a tentative knock on the door.

"Come in," he said dully.

He didn't turn around to see who it was; he merely listened to the door open and shut and then the footsteps approaching him.

"Sire."

He had known Gaius would come at some point.

"I thought I would find you awake," Gaius continued.

"Yes," Uther nodded. "Look at it Gaius. Look at Camelot…it's an idea as much as a city," he murmured. "I suppose there's not much else left to me beside it now…"

"Your Majesty. You still have the Lady Morgana," said Gaius, his voice firm and decisive. "She did not mean any harm yesterday I am sure of it. She lost control, she did not mean for it to happen."

Uther sighed and turned towards him. "Given what I saw at the knighting I believe she did not mean to use magic then. But the fact remains that she did use it."

"I beg of you to consider her for a moment though," urged Gaius, "Everything she has been to you, the fact that she is your only heir-"

"Gaius do you think I haven't considered her?" snapped Uther angrily. "I have loved Morgana with everything I have. Since Gorlois' death and her coming here I…I have loved her. She brought life and family into my world again. Her wisdom…her respect…and her love…all have made me proud." Uther's voice broke and he took a moment to compose himself. When he spoke again his voice was distant, detached. "But she used magic. She broke the law. That cannot go unpunished or ignored."

"Please, Your Majesty, you can't mean to execute her?"

Uther sighed and then very slowly shook her head. "No. It may be that it is my duty to do so…I have struggled with it all night…but I cannot even though the law demands it. But neither can I ignore what happened here yesterday or that she now embodies everything Camelot stands against."

"What do you mean to do then?"

"I have decided to send her to my castle in the south. It is old but comfortable. I will send guards and a few knights and several servant. She will be safe while at the same time under arrest, albeit allowed to move about largely as she desires in the area of the castle. An open prison…I-…I will never see her again once she has left here."

"Sire, consider-"

"I have considered. And I must continue to consider what is to be done with the throne of Camelot after my death."

"The Lady Morgana cannot help her magic-"

"Enough Gaius! She is a sorceress! She has used magic! Betraying both Camelot and myself! There is a price that must be paid…however painful it if for me to extract it…she should be grateful that I have chosen to ignore the escape attempt last night. At least as far as she is concerned in the matter."

"What about Arthur?"

Uther's expression turned to stone. "Someone must pay for last night. He will pay. He will be brought to trial this morning under the charge of assisting sorcery. And he will be executed."

"You're Majesty!" Gaius looked alarmed. "Please! Remember everything he has done! He saved Morgana's life during the attack of the shadow hounds-"

"Perhaps knowing full well what she was. Maybe that was why he did it. Perhaps he was even responsible for that attack!"

"Surely you can't believe that!"

"When he first arrived in Camelot he was raving about being my son! He seems insane and works as a blacksmith but then according to my knights, is as good, maybe even better, then any of them with a sword and he manages to save Morgana while the city is under attack by magic. He then marries Morgana's maidservant, and then breaks into the castle, assaults two guards and tries to break Morgana out! There is far more to this man then he has admitted and it'll be best for Camelot if he's dead."

"But-"

"My decision is final!"

Gaius stood for a moment and then nodded. "Yes your Majesty."

The two guards led Arthur into the throne room. The room was crowded, many people were curious. Curious to see Uther after the events of the knighting, curious to see the man who had tried to rescue the Lady Morgana, and curious to know what price would he pay for it.

Gaius stood next to Gwen, a comforting hand on her arm but her face was curiously blank, as if she just couldn't really believe what was happening. Standing in the front, taking care that Arthur would see her, stood Morgause, who occasionally would glance towards Uther and then would smile to herself.

Uther sat on his throne, looking down at Arthur, and Arthur thought all the hate, anger and rage he had ever seen Uther to show against magic was reflected in his expression at that moment and directed at Arthur.

Uther cleared his throat and began, speaking loudly and clearly, his voice reverberating through the chamber. "You are charged with assisting sorcery, assaulting two castle guards and attempting to break a prisoner out from the dungeons. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Arthur hesitated, unsure what he could say. He had tried to break Morgana out and he had assaulted two castle guards and according to his father's definition he had assisted sorcery. Trying to deny it would be a waste of breath. But then he suspected this entire trial was a waste of breath.

He was very aware of Gwen standing behind him in the crowd. He wished he hadn't hurt her like this. Maybe he should have taken her and left Camelot months ago. Maybe he should have never come back.

But he had needed to try and save Morgana…and he had needed to try and stop Morgause. And selfishly, he couldn't regret the time he had spent with Guinevere or the fact that he was lucky enough to have been able to call her his wife.

He would say the truth. And he would die with honor.

"Everything I did," he said calmly, refusing to look away under Uther's glare. "I did for the good of Camelot. As I have ever done. There have been times I have failed and my actions were not in Camelot's best interests, but I have always tried. I am not ashamed of what I tried to do last night. And I am not ashamed to be standing here on trial before you. And I will not beg for mercy from a man incapable of showing it."

Uther's fist clenched around his sword hilt and he sat for minute in totally silence fury, his expression showing a struggle to regain control of his emotions. Slowly he rose to his feet and gestured towards Sir Leon.

"Escort this man out into the town square, where he will be publicly flogged, then see him back to his cell in the dungeons to await his execution tomorrow morning."

"No!" Gwen lunged forward but Gaius grabbed her. She struggled against him screaming. "You can't! No! No! No! You can't! You're a cruel tyrannical monster! You can't do this! You can't! You can't! You can't!"

"Guinevere stop!" Arthur said, raising his voice loudly. She paused in her struggling and looked at him desperately. "Please Gwen…the dungeons are full enough as it is at the moment, let's not try and add to them." He tried to smile at her but he wasn't sure how successful it was. Her expression was breaking his heart. "Please Gaius," he said to the physician, his voice weaker, "Take her out. And don't…don't let her watch. Any of it. Please." His last plead was directed at Gwen.

She was weeping now and Gaius led her out of the throne room.