Thank you for the reviews.

So.

...

I wish I could be telling you now that I had another job lined up. I wish I could be telling you that I will be having more time to write as I will have more evenings and I will actually have a weekend. I wish I could be telling you that everything is on the way up. But it isn't.

Hold tight guys. Hopefully soon.


Chapter 9

Arthur knew the question was coming. It was the only thing that his father hadn't pushed while he was a Prince. Sure there had been discussions about it but nothing had come of these discussions. It was like all the available options weren't good in his father's eyes.

"Sire, we believe it would be best if you married."

"Okay," Arthur said.

"Sire?"

"Okay, I understand. It is best that I marry because then not only will I have someone to share the workload with but it will make Camelot stronger and we can start to think more of the future and produce an heir. I understand."

If anything, Arthur had been thinking about himself. He had watch Merlin and Morgana and he wanted what they had. He wanted someone.

"My father and I discussed it but it never came to much more than that." He hesitated for a moment. "I would like to hear your opinions."

He watched as his council looked at each other and he smiled. He wondered whether they thought he would resist as they had resisted him.

"There is Princess Mithian." One councillor said.

"Or Princess Elena."

"Or Princess Vivan."

"Mithian would be a wonderful choice."

"I agree."

"What about asking Merlin about one of the Northern Princesses or Ladies?"

Everyone on the council turned and looked at the younger of the lords, one that Merlin had helped Arthur install on the council.

"It would make the alliance between the two kingdoms stronger and it will make parallels with Merlin himself. He is a Northern Prince who has married a Southern Lady. You are a Southern King now. Maybe it would make some sort of sense with the time that we are moving into the marry and Northern Princess or Lady."

Before anyone could shoot down the poor man, Arthur spoke.

"Thank you for your suggestions. I will consider them all and put forward the appropriate invitations."

The only problem was, only one name filled his mind when he thought about marriage. And that was Gwen's. He just had no idea why.


Arthur wanted to do the right thing and marrying Mithian or some Northern Princess or Lady but whenever he tried to write a letter, either inviting them to Camelot or to ask Merlin, he just couldn't find the right words. Because it just didn't feel right. He had no idea why though.

Actually, he did. He had Gwen on his mind.

He tried to understand why though. He would never be able to marry her. She was a serving girl, a daughter of a blacksmith. Things might be more relaxed in the North than the South, but he was in the South. He could never marry her. His council would never agree to it.

There were so many things that he wanted to change. He wanted the South to be like the North. He wanted Camelot to be a place where people wanted to be. He didn't want to be killing innocent people for the sake of one law. And he knew that was where his greatest challenge was.

If he wanted the council to be on his side when he tried to overturn the law on magic, he would need to keep them happy. The last thing he should do is marry a servant.

Anyway, she was with Lancelot. Gwaine had made that very clear during his time in Drugonia. There was no point even trying really.

He threw down his quill as he knew that he would never be able to find the words now. He would try again later. He needed to do something else to take his mind off of it.

Arthur huffed. Merlin and Morgana had it easy. They were told that they were to be together. It just worked out that they would end up loving each other.

As he had just decided that he would go to the training ground, a servant ran into the room.

"I am sorry to disturb you Sire, but this message just came into the city. The man who delivered it said that it was from Merlin."

Arthur jumped out of his seat and stopped himself from ripping it out of the man's hand. He took no time in unrolling the scroll. He was still concerned about Morgana and prayed that this message was Merlin telling him that Morgana was safe in Drugonia.

His face dropped as he read the note.

He didn't even hesitate as he grabbed his sword and told the man to get his horse ready. He made his way to the physician's chambers. He knew that there was one person he could trust, and that was Gaius. The physician had always heard him out ever since he was a boy.

"Gaius," Arthur said after he had opened the door to the chambers, hoping that he was there.

"Arthur, what I can do for you?" Gaius said, looking up from his book.

"Morgana hasn't returned to Drugonia."

"And you are going to join Merlin in the search for her?"

"Yes." Arthur paused. "I want you to look after the kingdom in my absence."

"You think you are going to be long."

"Gaius, I know my place is here. I know where I should be. But I need to go and help Merlin. Whether it takes a week or a year. Merlin has done more for me than he should ever do and I need to repay him and Balinor for what they have done and taught me."

Gaius smiled at him. "Merlin has obviously made an impression on you."

"I have never met anyone like Merlin before. The dragons are right. The friendship between me and Merlin is just as important as Merlin and Morgana getting married. I can see the land that I want to build and I can do that with Merlin. There is no need for the North and South divide anymore. We can unite it all." He paused as he realised what he had said. "I need to help them."

Gaius just smiled wider at him. "Then what are you doing still standing here."

Arthur sighed before he nodded at him. He stopped just before he opened the door. He turned back.

"Gaius, just before my father left, to go to war with Drugonia, he said something about Morgana. He said that or implied that Merlin and Balinor had kidnapped his daughter. They supposedly kidnapped Morgana. Is Morgana his daughter?"


Nimueh smiled as she watched Morgana as she wandered around the forest. If anything she couldn't believe her luck. The new Queen of Drugonia, close to the Isle of the Blessed, on her own. She couldn't ask for anything better.