I can't believe I've got 100 reviews. I know that's probably not that many given the length of the story, but I don't care, every one makes me really happy! Thank you so much to anybody who is reading this story. Here's a little bit of something to keep you going for a while. Sorry it's not much and no Merlin and Arthur I'm afraid. The next chapter will be back to them, but I want to focus on their stuff when I've more time, so who knows when that will be.
(Reposted to edit typos.)

Enjoy! :D

Chapter 17

Back in the city of Camelot, the foul scent of burning flesh wafted into the castle from outside. When night had fallen, the wyverns had slept, if illusions could sleep. Perhaps the sorceress was just toying with them. Nevertheless, they had taken advantage of the lull in the attack to dispose of the dead. They had also made numerous attempts to send word outside of Camelot, but any attempts to leave the city met with failure. An magical wall blocked any potential escape. They truly were sealed in.

The following day there was still no clues as to the King's fate and the larger rooms of the castle were filled with the recovering wounded or else refugees from the town who had made it to the relative safety of the castle. This was not a situation newly self-appointed leader, Sir Caradoc, was happy with.

"Is he serious? He can't do that." protested a young soldier whose recently bestowed knighthood was beginning to feel ill-timed. He was walking through the corridors of Camelot alongside Sir Hadwyn.

"Apparently, we need to protect our defensive forces first and foremost," Hadwyn answered regretfully.

"But what use are defensive forces if there's no one to defend?"

"That's what Sir Leon told him," Hadwyn explained. That was what they all were thinking, but only a few had actually voiced their opinion.

"How is Leon now?"

"Still not at all good, but remarkably well considering. Much better than the others, at least, as most still refuse to accept their pain is the consequence of sorcery alone. I can't say I blame them. I can scarcely believe some of it myself. All the same, Caradoc won't back down and Sir Leon's in no fit state be challenging anyone."

"Surely no one is actually supporting Caradoc though?"

"Turquine, his brother, and a couple of others are," admitted Hadwyn. "The rest are blindly following orders like the rest of us since Dinadan spent last night in the dungeons."

"He can't do that. The knight's code…"

"…Seems to have flown out the window where he's concerned."

"It is our..." They paused as they passed an open doorway and saw Gaius talking to an empty room. The pair exchanged a puzzled glance, eyebrows raised, then shook their heads before the youngest knight resumed his train of thought. "It is our duty to protect the people," he continued as they threw open a set of doors to enter the large crowded hall. It was a large indoor camp, filled with townspeople who had fled in terror and sought refuge at the castle. "They look to us for safety and he wants us to turn them away. I realise that it's somewhat of an inconvenience," he continued, rolling his eyes as a young peasant boy, armed with a wooden sword and engaged in an epic battle with his brother, stumbled upon them. "But if we don't help them, why are we here?"

He turned to his companion waiting for a reply. Hadwyn was whispering advice into the young boy's ear who promptly disarmed his opponent with a smile.

"Those who are already here may remain, at least for the moment," Hadwyn said. He sighed as the two children ran off into the throng of people. He was uncertain how long that would last. He frowned at a noise from behind him.

"Baaaaaaaaa!" There was the sound of fabric ripping and a rhythmic chomping.

"What the...?" he turned round and looked in dismay at his torn cloak. "Who brought that here?" An older woman sheepishly tried to drag the happily munching animal away, avoiding eye contact with the knight. Hadwyn turned back to his companion.

"The people can stay," he announced, "But get rid of the goat," he added quietly. His friend nodded.

***

Gaius had been wandering round the palace trying to find some sign of Uther. He had visited the King's chambers first and found it a complete mess. It couldn't have been like that earlier, otherwise it would have been reported, the whole castle having been searched. Obviously the king wasn't happy. After many minutes spent trying to communicate with Uther, Gaius had concluded that he was no longer there or that any responses had been missed.

Several conversations with empty rooms later, and people were starting to question Gaius's sanity, and to be honest, Gaius was starting to question it himself. If it wasn't for his explicit trust in Merlin then he would have given up almost immediately, but he knew the king was around here somewhere. Gaius just had to find him, but how do you find someone you can't see or hear? All he had to go on were the little things: objects that had changed position somehow, wrecked rooms or people complaining of the feeling they were being watched. He would need to stay alert, keep an eye out for the subtle signs that he would ordinarily miss.

As he made his way back to his chambers he spotted a young serving girl step around to avoid nobody in her path.

"Uther?" The female servant stared at Gaius strangely at being addressed using the king's name. "Sire, is that you?"

"My name is Eve, and I'm just a servant," the girl said, indicating the food she was carrying whilst backing slowly away from the physician.

"He's not talking to you, foolish girl. Gaius, it's about time," Uther said.

"Are you there?" Gaius asked. The girl looked around her seeing nothing, looked at herself to make sure that she was definitely there, and then made a very hasty retreat.

"Gaius, you appear to be talking to a candlestick." Then realisation dawned on Uther. "You still can't see or hear me." Uther held his head in his hands. "Oh, this is intolerable."

"I appear to be talking to a candlestick," Gaius astutely observed. He turned and looked randomly about himself trying to determine if there was any sign of the king anywhere. He ended up facing ninety degrees from where Uther was standing. Uther pulled a face and sighed.

"I was returning to my chambers," Gaius told the corridor. "If you are here, you may wish to accompany me." He had no idea how he was supposed to communicate with him, but at least in the privacy of his own rooms, he would avoid the odd glances of passers by. "Maybe we'll be able to work this out."

And so Uther found himself once again in Gaius's chambers trying to attract attention. At least this time Gaius knew he was there. Uther supposed his multiple attempts at making contact had finally been successful. That was definitely preferable to him knowing the truth behind Gaius's sudden change in behaviour. If he knew that he'd had a conversation with Merlin's head in a bucket, Merlin's head would probably end up in a basket shortly after he returned.

"I am unsure how best to go about this," Gaius admitted to a set of shelves. "Maybe you should try moving something."

"That didn't work last time," Uther pointed out sceptically.

"Now, I realise that didn't work last time," said Gaius, "But hopefully if I'm focussing on nothing else then I will notice." Gaius picked up a small wooden bowl and placed it on the end of the table in the centre of the room. "If you would please move this bowl for me, sire."

Uther couldn't believe that it had come to this. He felt such a fool, completely helpless and forced to follow someone else's orders for a change. Playing stupid games like this was totally beneath him. With great tedium, he shoved the receptacle to the opposite end of the table and paused, waiting for a response. He stood, arms outstretched, leaning against the table's surface, waiting... waiting. He picked it up and slammed it down hard onto the wood. Still waiting.

Gaius blinked then observed the bowl was no longer in its original location, but he hadn't seen it move.

Finally!

Still, it proved that Uther was around, even if it didn't show that the king was massaging his forehead and had just been overcome by a strange compulsion to bang said forehead against the wall, repeatedly.

How two-way communication was going to be possible, Gaius had no idea. Plus, having no knowledge of how to deal with a problem like this, and certainly not without using magic, he found he had no idea what to say.

"Are you... well?" This time Gaius could not fail to notice as the table overturned at his remark.

"Aside from your obvious problems, of course," Gaius added. Uther could always be pretty terrible when enraged, but when he had no idea where the king was, it felt like being blindfolded in the same room as a rampaging bull. Gaius pulled out a quill and a roll of parchment.

"Maybe we could try writing."

'Do you believe I would not have tried this already? My patience is wearing thin. How do you intend to fix this?' wrote Uther hurriedly.

Gaius looked at the note Uther had scribbled, but it appeared to be gibberish. Apparently the sorceress had foreseen this and the magic surrounding Uther prevented all forms of communication, spoken, written or otherwise. Gaius sat down, defeated. This would take some time.

***

(some time later)

"Can I take it you encountered the sorceress?" Gaius asked.

A few moments later, he noticed that the bowl was now at the far right-hand side of the re-righted table. That meant 'yes'. With a slight narrowing of the eyebrows, he also noticed the table was becoming rather dented with the forcefulness of Uther's responses.

"I'm sorry about this, but it's all I can think of at the moment. If you have a better suggestion, your highness?"

The bowl appeared on the left. Gaius returned it to the centre again.

"Do you remember any spells or incantations that she used?"

Left.

Gaius realised that even if he had, Uther would not be able to tell him with a simple yes or no.

"You are aware of the current situation in Camelot?"

Right.

"And do you approve of Sir Caradoc's leadership?"

The bowl clattered to the floor on the left-hand side of the table.

"I see. I have to agree, but unfortunately the man is incapable of listening to reason. He believes he is acting as you would."

Uther was appalled by this suggestion. He was firm, that was true, but he had to be. Yes, many of his decisions often seemed cold-hearted, and maybe they were, but they had been made with the best interests of the kingdom at the forefront of his mind. Mistakes had been made, he was human after all, but just because he couldn't admit to them, that didn't mean he had to live with every single one he made. Occasionally, his judgement became clouded by emotions, he accepted that. He knew that was his weakness and it was the very same weakness he wanted his son to overcome, so he could become a better king than he could ever be. Still, Uther didn't believe himself to be a cruel man. He ruled because it was his duty. After only one day it was clear Caradoc ruled for the power it gave him. He didn't care what happened to the kingdom, only that he was in control.

"I am not a heartless man!" Uther protested. "I would never behave like this."

"We both know that's not the case." Gaius was bending the truth slightly there. "But Caradoc will not back down whilst as he is of the belief that you are long gone and I'm afraid I may have drawn attention to the possibility of your death when you disappeared."

"I'm aware of that." said Uther.

"Plus, I don't think he believes Prince Arthur will return." Gaius knew that the king would be worried about the fate of his son. Should he tell Uther what he knew? Mind you, if the king should question, how he was so certain of this, he had a ready-made excuse for not answering. He wouldn't even know the king had said anything. "Sire, he is alive. Of that I am certain."

"I know," Uther said simply. He knew in his heart his son was alright, for the moment, at least.

"If there was a way to let Caradoc know that you were here, in whatever form, I believe he may yield, but there is no way he would listen. However, your actions in the castle don't go completely unnoticed, even if people do not understand what they mean."

"What are you suggesting, Gaius?" Uther frowned. Of course Gaius couldn't hear him, but the physician continued to think out loud.

"Maybe it's about time you made your objections known," Gaius said.

"How can I do that if nobody can see me? They think I'm dead, not that you would know."

Gaius raised his eyebrows. He was facing the wrong direction again, but Uther began to get the message.

"I don't believe this. You're not serious?!" He paused as if waiting for Gaius to confirm his plan, but of course he hadn't heard his objections. "You expect me to haunt him, like some foul ghost. NO!" Uther picked up the wooden bowl from the floor and it landed with a thud on the left-hand sided of the table.

"I don't see many options. I was merely offering a suggestion. If you are content to watch Caradoc order your men and sit in your throne, I cannot change your mind. You are king after all. It is your choice."

If Uther had a choice he would never accept these obvious attempts at manipulation, even from Gaius, but Uther was choiceless.

"Would you have me wear a sheet on my head, clanking chains perhaps?" He said sourly.

"I'm not asking you to start howling in the corridors or clanking chains, but maybe if you focussed your current efforts in accentuating certain rumours." Gaius said. "If I may recommend starting in the kitchens, Sire."

"The kitchens?! Why would I want to go to the kitchens. There's no-one significant there, only servants. I thought this was about Caradoc?"

"After all gossip doesn't start readily with knights," Gaius continued.

There was a knock on Gaius's door. Gaius walked over to answer it. He noticed that all the furniture was still standing so unless Uther had already left, he was at least considering his proposal. As Gaius opened the door, Gwen was bamboozled by the reveal of an otherwise empty room.

"Didn't I hear you talking to someone?" she asked curiously.

"Ah, Gwen, are you working in the kitchen's today?" said Gaius.

"Yes, they're very busy down there, what with all the people here. Why do you ask?"

Gaius turned round to the 'empty' room before looking back at the puzzled servant.

"I wonder if you could do us a favour?"

Next chapter, when it eventually gets written, will be back with Arthur and Merlin and continue where chapter 16 left off.