As always, discussions circled back to Gwen's decision to allow magic in Camelot. The fact that more and more kingdoms were feuding with each other or the fact that there were a burgeoning number of refugees from these towns came second to the council's growing discomfort with Gwen as a ruler and her decision to make magic legal.

"Are we agreed to housing the refugees within the castle walls?" Gwen pushed.

A few heads nodded, amongst those, the knights. "Good. Breton, assist Sir Leon with moving the refugees. Inform the kitchens to provide them with some bread for sustenance. I've already assigned more help in the kitchens."

"Can we talk about magic now?" Hector asked.

Finally, Gwen looked at Hector, carefully hiding her distaste for him behind a mask of politeness. "We have discussed Merlin's recommendations already."

"I'm still not convinced that they are enough to manage the magical population."

"Lord Hector, we have spent the last two weeks working on the new laws to deal with magic. It's time we move on."

Hector scowled at her. "Some kingdoms are still unhappy with your decision."

"I realise that but it's time we stopped acting as if magic is evil. As for the kingdoms which are unhappy, we will deal with them. I'm sure in time, they will realise that magic isn't inherently evil."

Waving his hand rudely in dismissal, Hector sniffed. "They don't trust you. They think that you are far too influenced by that warlock."

Sir Lief immediately retorted, "That warlock saved our kingdom!"

"How do we know Merlin can be trusted? What if -"

"Merlin was the King's closest friend -"

"- will be corrupted by magic in the end like -"

A dull ache slowly built in her head as the voices rose around her. Her fingers massaged her temple, a move that was sadly becoming far too familiar, before she firmly told them to stop. The councillors stopped talking, except Hector who, halfway through his rant about Gwen being a commoner who couldn't understand the complex politics of the land, slammed his hand down on the table, causing Gwen to jump.

"There's no need for that." Percival's low voice cut through Hector's rant. Immediately, Hector sat back down on his chair, disapproval clear as day on his face.

"This meeting is over," Gwen said coldly. With a murmur of greetings, the council filed past her. She continued, "Lord Hector, please stay for a while."

He looked like he was about to refuse when Percival cleared his throat. With a quick glance at the knight, Hector reluctantly took his seat again.

"Whether you like it or not," Gwen said after all the rest of the council left, "I am Queen. Arthur didn't leave the royal signet with you or anyone else. He left it with me."

"But -"

Gwen raised a hand. "No. The knights have no problems with me but you and your band of nobles obviously do."

"The knights come from the same commoner background as you," Hector sniffed, a defiant tilt to his head.

"And? Surely you're not suggesting that being a commoner, I'm somehow less capable of thinking and making decisions. Arthur didn't think so." She wanted to hit something but instead curled her hands into fists, her nails digging into the flesh of her palm.

"Arthur fancied himself in love -"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence," she snapped, her control over her temper hanging by a thread.

Hector raised a hand in half-apology. "Look at all the disputes happening between the various kingdoms. Arthur died to bring peace to Albion. This isn't peace. And the disputes are happening because the kingdoms believe that Camelot is weakened by Arthur's death."

The truth in every word he said jabbed at her.

"They will soon learn otherwise," Gwen said with more confidence than she felt.

Maybe it was a trick of the light but Gwen thought Hector's face softened. "My lady, I believe you care about Camelot and Arthur certainly thought the world of you. But I don't believe you alone are able to bring peace to these lands."

"Are you suggesting I relinquish the throne?"

He stared at her, then said slowly, "Lord Gregory is a very capable man."

"If Arthur wanted Gregory on the throne, he would have given him the royal signet," Gwen said. "If you really care for Camelot and Albion as you claim to do, then I suggest you work with me to deal with all these problems and build the lasting peace Arthur wanted."

"Of course, your majesty," Hector replied, but having dealt with Hector over the past two months, Gwen knew better than to trust him. "I do hope we can work together."

Still, she nodded. "I hope so too." She swept out of the room, followed closely by Percival, leaving Hector alone.

The headache that had started in the council room had only grown worse by the time she got to her room. Percival hovered closer than usual, and she forced a smile up at him at her door.

"Things will work out," he said as he opened the door for her. "I'll be with the knights, if you need me. Sir Brom will be outside."

It was only midday and she was already feeling the exhaustion in her bones. Hector's words echoed in her head, adding to her insecurities. What was she doing? It was one thing to rule with Arthur. It was a completely different story ruling alone.

Her fingers played with her wedding ring and the tears welled in her eyes again. This time she let them fall, tired of being the strong one. She let herself remember Arthur - his embrace of life, his determination to be a better King than his father, his insecurities, his tenderness with her, his love for Camelot, his knights and her, and she let herself imagine what it would be like if he was still around. His hands would be on her shoulder, his warm breath caressing the back of her neck, telling her that everything would work out. Or he would be at his table, grumbling under his breath about all the paperwork he had to do, moaning about how he would much rather be outside training with his knights before pulling her into his lap and kissing her.

Pain throbbed in her and she tried to push the images out of her mind. Arthur had promised he would never leave her and foolishly, she had believed him.

Gwen rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands. She had planned to take a walk around the lower town to see if the repairs she'd ordered were going well. At the same time, there were several documents that required her attention. With a barely concealed sigh, she sat at her table and pulled out the sheath of papers Leon had dropped off in the morning. Requests for more medical supplies to one of the towns affected by the battle at Camlann - she dropped it in the important pile. Applications to join the Camelot knights - she placed them with some impatience into the pile for Leon. Quickly, she dealt with most of the paperwork, the monotony calming her emotions. She grabbed another.

Suggestions for a momument for King Arthur

Written in neat script, the words screamed out at her. Shaken, she glanced at the pile that held all sorts of requests and ideas to honour Arthur's death, a pile she had let grow over the past few months.

He's not coming back, she told herself firmly, and it was time she faced up to that. But after a moment's hesitation, she still dropped the document, unread, onto the pile. Maybe one day she would be strong enough to go through them.

The knock that interrupted her thoughts was a blessing.

"It's Merlin, my lady," said Sir Brom from outside. "Will you see him?"

For a brief moment, her spirits lifted, before she remembered their last encounter. "Send him in."

"Gaius said you didn't look too well. He wanted me to give you this." Merlin stepped into her room and handed her a small vial. "It is supposed to calm your nerves."

"My nerves are fine. Or they will be if the kingdoms in Albion stopped playing their power games."

"It's the way of the land," he said lightly.

Gwen said nothing but gave him a pointed look, before turning her back on him and slipping the vial next to the row of vials she'd been collecting from Gaius.

"I've been thinking about what you said the last time we spoke and you're right. About everything." Merlin took a step further into her room.

"Good," she said. "Look, Merlin. I have -"

"I am sorry. I know I keep saying it but this time, I mean it. The past months, I was so caught up with my so-called destiny, with needing Arthur to fulfil his destiny that -"

"- that we drifted apart."

He nodded. "Tell me it's not too late to save our friendship."

Whatever anger or resentment she held against Merlin dissipated at the look on his face. Her hand took his. "Of course not. I could really do with a friend right now."

Immediately, Merlin pulled her into a hug and she sank, gratefully, into his arms. "I'm sorry, Gwen," he whispered.

Gwen never realised how much she needed this until her face was pressed into his shoulder and his hand rubbed soothingly up and down her back. The tension that had been coiled in her since the talk with Hector eased slightly and she relaxed in Merlin's arms, achingly aware of how much she missed the support and safety he once represented to her. Finally, she pulled back and regarded Merlin quietly. Then she asked the question that had been plaguing her ever since Merlin returned. "Ever since you returned, you keep talking about Arthur's destiny, and about how it was your duty to ensure he fulfilled it. What was his destiny?"

He smiled wryly. "I wish I knew for sure. I was told he was going to unite Albion and become a great King. As it turned out," Merlin let out a bitter laugh, "either the Old Religion was wrong or Arthur failed to fulfil his destiny. And if he failed -"

"It's not your fault," Gwen said immediately, wanting to erase the look of despair on his face.

It eased slightly as he squeezed her hand. "Gwen, you don't know that at all, but thank you for believing in me."

"Maybe it's up to us to ensure that Arthur's destiny is fulfilled," said Gwen. "He started building peace between the kingdoms. We can finish it."

"Establishing peace in Albion isn't going to be easy."

"No, but Camelot has friends," she said, "and it has you, most powerful warlock in history."

Merlin smiled and shook his head. "You sound like you have a plan."

"I don't. But I wish I did. Some amazing, spectacular plan that would miraculously achieve the peace in Albion that Arthur wanted. And then maybe I can move on."

"Maybe then we both can move on. Now," Merlin said in a brighter tone, "Percival says that a walk in the lower town is next on your schedule. Fancy some company?"

She reached out her arm. "I'll be delighted."