CHAPTER ELEVEN: You've just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.

There is a woman, but a different woman to the one before. It is Morgana, her face red with tears and she wears nothing but her slip. She stares at Arthur tearfully for a moment, then she shakes her head slowly. The world crashes. He's running, no, riding, through the forest and there is a castle and a grand hall full of men. They clank their tankards and the rhythmic beat sounds through the Prince's ears, like a heart beat. There is a scuffle and he realises it is the woman from before. But there isn't the same feeling as before. It's not warm, or loving. Its hurt and pain and confusion. She stares and he knows she knows. Her mouth opened and he strained to hear what she said, but something ripped and he woke up.

He sat for a moment, adjusting to his surroundings. The curtains were still drawn, but now blocked out strong bars of morning light. He scowled to himself. Where the hell was that manservant?

Arthur squinted and raised a hand to shield his eyes, vaguely aware his head was throbbing. He had almost expected to wake in the noon again, with his father fretting at his bedside and Gaius trying not to roll his eyes in the shadows. He cringed at the still fresh memory of him fainting.

Arthur pushed the thoughts aside and moved himself out of bed, retrieving a cup of water. Come to think of it, he had barely seen Merlin at all recently. The idiot had squawked something about 'fixing this' and left. He cringed again and downed the water, a particularly foul mood enveloping him.

"Sire!" A perky, far too high and irritating voice slapped him round the head. A boy, now muttering something along the lines of 'oh no oh no oh no' was scurrying towards him. "You are to stay in bed today, sire! Your father, the king, insists!" He squeaked.

Arthur glared at him, pushing the headache aside. "Where's my real servant?"

The boy faltered. "He's in the dudgeons, sire, some guards heard him performing magic."

"Magic?" Arthur swore under his breath "We're talking about Merlin here. About yea high, stupid ears?" He gestured wildly at the bewildered servant. "You know? Trips over his feet all the time?" When the boy offered no explanation, he batted him aside, now in an even fouler mood (if possible). Merlin what on earth have you done now?

~o~

Gwen's eyelids slowly flickered open, her whole body shifting in the effort to shake itself awake. It took her a while to work out where she was, the house was too spacious to be her own and the severe lack of books suggested she wasn't in the court physician's chambers. She yawned and shifted herself into a sitting position.

"Good morning." Greeted Hunith, smiling over at her from the kitchen table. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you" she murmured, her mind racing as she gingerly lifted herself out of the bed.

Hunith repeated her light smile. "I'm very glad to hear it." Gwen landed herself in the chair opposite Hunith, who handed her a chunk of bread. "Eat this. You need to keep your strength up."

Gwen obligingly ate, eyes wandering over the squat little home. Her eyes finally rested on the single window looking out over the street. Already the villagers were proceeding with their daily business, grain bags and farmer's tools slung over their shoulders whilst the sun got away from them.

"It's going to rain today." Hunith noted, calmly slicing another chunk of bread. "You'll have to leave early to avoid the worst of it."

Gwen nodded. "Camelot isn't so far away. If I ride all night I should make it by the next morning."

Hunith smiled. "Well, if that's the plan we'd better get moving. Now -" She snapped her hands together and grinned at the girl. "I think you should borrow some of Merlin's old clothes and I should re-bandage that arm so you're not walking around looking like you need desperate medical attention, okay?"

Gwen laughed, looking down at the beast's blood still splattered over her shirt. "That would be preferable, thank you Hunith."

The older woman grinned and settled down next to her, water bowl and cloth at the ready. "Now I promised myself I wouldn't ask, but what on earth are you doing out here?"

Gwen smiled, not feeling any pressure from the question. "Well, I'm not sure I want to elaborate but basically a certain prat has been causing me trouble."

~o~

Prince Arthur stormed down into the dungeons, fresh with fury.

The guards were standing by the door nervously. Arthur glared. Why hadn't they moved yet? He looked into the cells and saw Merlin sitting there piteously.

"Oh for lord's sake! I train you to catch sorcerers, not my manservant!" The guards jumped visibly, desperately avoiding eye contact with the enraged prince. Arthur sighed and ran a hand through his mussed hair. "Get him out of there."

"Sire, your father -" One stammered.

"- Should know better. Does that sack of bones look like a sorcerer to you?" he gestured at Merlin, who was now standing up on the other side of the bars. "No, didn't think so." He snatched the keys from the guards and plugged them in the lock immediately

"Sire, we heard him ourselves. We were on our way to arrest Princess Rosaline, he was in her chambers."

Arthur's hand paused. He turned to Merlin, who froze as all eyes turned on him.

Arthur watched him closely. "Merlin -" he paces "- What were you doing in Princess Rosaline's chambers?"

Merlin gaped for a bit, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Arthur growled. "You know I'm starting to think this little stint in the cells will do you some good!"

And miraculously, the manservant found a voice. "I was just doing a quick favour for her maid!" Arthur stared. "She forgot something… a hair tie!" He stammered, very clearly making it up as he went along "I just went to pick it up for her!"

A moment passed as the Prince stared at him disbelievingly "A hair tie."

Merlin blinked. "Yes. I'll have you know Gracey was very upset about it."

The other guard stepped forward, peering up at his liege. "You don't seriously buy these lies do you?"

Arthur looked from Merlin to the guard and back. Then a new voice spoke up.

"It's my fault." They all looked towards the second, forgotten prisoner who had been watching from the shadows.

"King Carmen." Arthur acknowledged, bowing his head and looking suitably confused.

Carmen nodded shortly in response. His eyes were set as he explained "I heard your father was set on throwing us out. I saw the boy walking past and told him to warn Rosaline. He was in her chambers because of me."

Arthur looked questioningly at Merlin; who had just managed to straighten his face into something that didn't suggest this was also news to him. Arthur gestured to the guards "But that doesn't explain why these half-wits are convinced he's a sorcerer."

To everyone's shock, Carmen laughed. "A Sorcerer?" He guffawed, hunching over with laughter. "That's why he's in here?" Arthur wasn't the only one looking a little scared now. The King straightened up and clung to the wall. "I'm sorry but -" he waved a lax arm at Merlin, face still lined with laughter "I've seen plenty of sorcerers in my time and he is most definitely not one."

Merlin caught on and laughed heartily. Arthur looked from the king to his now amused manservant. "A sorcerer? Me?" He laughed. "Then why on earth would I be living in Camelot?"

"Exactly!" Carmen erupted. "It's a death wish! No sorcerer is as stupid and reckless as that!"

"Nope!" Merlin's eyes sparkled at the joke. "Who would be that reckless?"

"Merlin, you've battled against a giant dragon despite having possibly the worst sword skills I've ever seen, you've downed a drink knowing it was poisonous and you never, ever call me by my title. I think you're about as reckless as they get." Arthur deadpanned.

Merlin grinned, oblivious to the startled expression of King Carmen behind him. "Possibly the worst sword skills?"

Arthur huffed. "Fine then, the worst sword skills I've ever seen. It's a wonder you're still alive."

"I count my blessings every day" Merlin quipped, and Arthur turned the key in the lock, freeing him at last.

"You know, if you turn out to be a sorcerer now, I'm going to be so annoyed."

Merlin grimaced and cast a glance at King Carmen, whose eyes sparkled with amusement. Just great!


I. HATE. TRANSITIONAL. CHAPTERS.

I have such a tendency to linger on one scene or situation for ages, then I think of another great one and can't for the life of me figure out how to run them together.

Still, I knew if i poked at this chapter too long there would be nothing left so here goes!