"Arthur! Time to get up!" Merlin threw the shutters open, and Arthur groaned.
"Merlin, it's barely dawn!"
Merlin stripped the blankets off the bed. "And you've got squabbling kings for guests, and we need to get them into a strategy meeting before they all decide simultaneously that there's no working together." He grabbed Arthur by the ankle and pulled him feet-first out of bed. "Sifa tells me Gwen's already up and breakfasting with your guests. Let's go."
Arthur grunted and grumbled and called Merlin names, but he was dressed and fully conscious in a quarter of an hour.
"Arthur!" Gwen knocked at his door. "We're all heading into the Council Chamber. Are you almost ready?"
He opened the door. "Completely ready," he answered, offering her his arm. "Merlin?" he called over his shoulder.
Gwen glanced back. "Merlin?" she said in concern. Arthur turned: Merlin had sunk into a chair and dropped his face into his hands. Gwen hurried over and knelt beside him. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Merlin raised his face: it was white and drawn, and his hands were shaking. "Kilgarrah," he managed.
"The dragon?" Arthur said. "What about him? Is he here?"
"He's gone." Merlin swallowed. "He's dead."
"What? How do you know?"
Merlin gestured toward his head. "There's—there's a silence. He's gone."
Arthur poured out a cup of wine and handed it to him. Merlin stared at it blankly. "Drink it," Arthur said gently but firmly.
Merlin complied, and in a minute he sat up straighter and rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm sorry—it was just… a shock. I knew the end was coming, but… not this soon."
"So there really won't be a dragon on our side in the battle," Arthur said in a low voice, and Merlin shook his head.
"Maybe we don't need one," Gwen said slowly, and they both turned to look at her. She was staring into space, frowning in thought. "Maybe…" She was silent for awhile. Then she looked up and smiled. "I've got a plan," she said excitedly. "But it will take our best archer and our fastest riders."
"Whatever you need."
Gwen climbed quickly to her feet. "Let's go talk to the Kings."
000
"What's going on in there?" Faleiry whispered as she passed another maid in the corridor.
Muffled shouting could be heard from the Council chamber. "I can't hear very clearly," Addfwyn said as she assiduously dusted the lampstand by the door. She had been at it for awhile; it was beginning to look like the cleanest lampstand in the castle. "Something about the distribution of the supplies."
Just then, the door banged open, making both maids jump, and Gaheris strode out.
"But you can't leave now," Arthur pleaded, following him. "Not when we've finally got a chance of defeating the Saxons! None of us can do this separately—they'll overrun us all!"
"I would rather take my chances against the Saxons than let my men starve here by the side of their so-called allies," Gaheris replied with dignity, and stalked away. Faleiry and Addfwyn both backed up and curtsied as he passed. A moment later, Annis strode out of the chamber. "Your Majesty," she said in a dignified voice, and walked away, leaving a discouraged-looking Arthur behind in the doorway.
Faleiry and Addfwyn exchanged looked and sped away silently.
000
"It's true, my lady," the spy said, smiling. "Gaheris left Camelot yesterday evening, and Annis heads back to Caerleon tonight."
"So Camelot stands alone," Morgana said, smiling.
"Not entirely," he admitted. "The young King Cei of Mora stands with Arthur, as does Rodor of Nemeth, and old Lord Godwyn of Gawant, who arrived just as everyone else was leaving. But their three armies are quite small—indeed, if it weren't for their alliance with Camelot, none of them would be a threat whatsoever. Without Essetir and Caerleon, their alliance is lost."
"And once they are defeated, Essetir and Nemeth will be sitting ducks," Morgana finished with satisfaction. "Thank you; you may go." She tossed the spy a purse of gold, and with a smile and a bow, he withdrew from her tent.
"I admit, I am still worried," Morgana said, turning to Elïavrés. "Even with a small army, Emrys" (she spat the name) "may pose a greater threat than we think." Elïavrés snorted, and Morgana glared at him. "Despite all my attempts, I have neither found Emrys nor succeeded in killing him," she reminded him.
"Nor has he succeeded in killing you—and he knows who you are." Elïavrés shook his head with a smirk. "He may have foiled your plans, but you are his equal in power. And besides," he added, throwing himself casually into a chair, "now you have me. He might have beaten you one-on-one, but he cannot defeat both of us." He smirked down at his nails.
"What does that smile mean?" Morgana asked as she took her own seat, reassured by his manner.
He looked up with a smile that would have chilled the spine of anyone who wasn't already his ally. "Just a little plan for poetic justice," he answered lightly. "As Emrys tried to kill you by possessing that physician's apprentice, I think I shall possess her myself and force her to kill him. If Emrys's possession of her was against her will, she will relish killing him, and she may become a loyal and useful weapon. And if she is loyal to him already, well…" He gave a soft chuckle. Morgana raised one eyebrow, and he shrugged. "Life's not worth living if you don't take pleasure in your job," he said lightly.
000
"It seems so strange to see you in that uniform," Anna said, smiling to try to hide the tears in her eyes. She ducked her head and smoothed the dark blue cloth of Gwaine's sleeve. "It was good of Cadwaladr to lend you one." Gwaine caught her hand and she looked up at him. He gave her a tight smile. "You're sure this is what you want to do?" she asked, wishing he would say no.
He took a deep breath. "Yes," he answered quietly. "I'm needed. Do you think I shouldn't?"
She shook her head. "I only wish you weren't," she said, trying to smile again, but her voice broke. He pulled her into a hug and she clung to him.
"Duty, Annie," he said when she had quieted. "Duty first. That's what you told me."
"I thought you'd be performing that duty standing by Arthur's side," she said thickly.
He reached up and tilted her chin up. "I know. But remember: we're both going to make it. I promise." She nodded, and he bent his head and kissed her.
Cadwaladr's horn blew in the courtyard, and he stepped back. "I have to go."
"Be careful," she pleaded.
"You too." He walked over to the door and paused. Anna gulped. He turned, ran back, kissed her once more, and strode out the door to join Annis in the courtyard. Anna wiped futilely at her eyes and ran off toward the surgery.
TBC
