there wasn't a point to have this conversation while standing, so uther rested his legs from the lengthy argument he felt was impending, with a hand perched at his temple waiting for the accompanying headache as well, for one always did when he was with Elaina in the same room.

"I'm sure you have some questions," he asked finally, to dive into the issue.

Elaina scoffed at his arrogance that made him believe she had not caught onto what was happening. After all, he hadn't long tried to do the same with Arthur in marrying him off to some princess using the same entrapment and little to no information until it was too late. What she hated most was that she could already tell it was a done deal and this meeting was all just a formality, since Uther would have dragged her out of bed the day of her impending doom to avoid as much conflict as he could.

so that indicated to her that the king had something more up his sleeve, she just had to find out what.

Slowly she turned to face him, matching his stern look, because he has never intimidated her no matter how hard he tried, "…why not enlighten me."

There was a brief pause, his eyes slit like a cat toying with its prey menacingly and then slowly aggravated when the game got too much and the hunger for what they desired overcame them, and Elaina being that supposed defenceless mouse was meant to accept defeat.

Uther's gloved fingers tapped his arm rest with impatience that he had to bother with an explanation in the first place, as his court must be the only one in the land where the king's word was constantly questioned by the youth of his court, who should know their place and simply obey.

"it concerns the matter of your betrothal. As your guardian it is my responsibility to make a suitable match, worthy of your station. Lord Erik is such a man, who comes from a prestigious family and whose business in trade could benefit Camelot handsomely. His family were highly esteemed in the court of King Rothburt, ample benefactors to his crown, and as such the young lord could be an asset to my own and support Arthur when it is his time to take the throne and serve him loyally."

this match was better than even Uther's plan to have Arthur married to a princess, as their dowry would not compare with Lord erik's wealth and reputation in trade that could make camelot prosper for decades, since as soon as a princess's coin entered the treasury it was soon spent to remedy one issue, where other's persistently occurred.

He didn't expect Elaina to see the allure of such a bargain. Her selfish needs defied duty and she did not think of the bigger picture that although she devoted herself to the sick and needy, she wasn't, as their noble lady, hitting the issue at the route of their poverty. Her marriage for instance, was such a way she could do this and as such by refusing it, as he fully expected from the beginning she would, was withholding the potential their people had to grow.

But an arranged marriage, where Elaina was going to be given little choice on the matter was hard to swallow since it was forcing her life in a direction she could not control, after spending years dealing with that predicament already, while on top of that, her heart was already claimed and to press she give up the name branded there was unbearable. Gwaine was the reason it beat, coursing her veins with blood and causing her to breathe. Her life was tethered to him, he her destiny since birth which she had been powerless to ignore the moment they met. To even imagine laying with another as she had with Gwaine and sharing a life with that person by force would be the ruin of her.

it would be death…

The notion was leaving a lump in her throat, while Uther had spoken so matter of fact like every page of her story was written up and the ink dry, while she had absolutely no say in it at all. She could see herself living out days into months and years, right up until she died, as all it would be was a repeat of every other noblewoman's life before her. Imprisoned on an estate only to produce heirs and look pretty whilst forever being obedient, not an equal to her husband but as good as his servant.

Elaina was half expecting to be presented with shackles for her wedding gift from Uther at this point and on a sombre note, she chuckled, "and instead of discussing it with me, you invited him here anyway. Tell me, what date have you set for my nuptials?"

Bluntly, Uther answered, "a week today."

She was beyond being shocked or surprised by his cruelty, more that he allowed for such a delay since by his preference he would have her march to the altar come the morrow just to be rid of her. Perhaps he was respecting lord Erik as a man, to see if elaina measured up to his expectations when hers were of little consequence, or perhaps due to his family's reputation the young lord has need of a lavish affair to boost his ego and make his mark on Camelot, with Elaina being the dutiful doll at his side to draw in the crowds.

She gazed at her blurred reflection on the wooden floorboards, already unable to recognise herself. the person she was disappearing to be no more than an object. Elaina smirked and tried to compose herself, ready to settle the argument because there was no chance it was happening. this might be it she dared to believe...the final push she needed to break away from Camelot after enduring for so long and it causing her only suffering.

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, stopping at her neck to take the load of her head with such a weight of thought that it was starting to roll, "and you truly believe I'm going to agree to it."

"you do not have a choice!"

Instinct kicked in and Uther's voice raised through the rafters as he ensnared the arm rests of his throne, a place of safety and authority, which was his one place to exude it when his character could not make Elaina tremble as it could for others. He remembered how his knuckles had burned after striking her during their dealings regarding the outlaw gwaine and that unnerving way she turned back to look at him, without so much as a tremor, chilling him to the bone.

It was of course her point, that he did not know how to be king without fear and violence and it was all his crown was built upon. So, when confronting someone like her, all he had was loud words he disguised as commands, because without the guards to help see them through, they too would be meaningless and Elaina had friends at court, the crown prince her strongest ally, which is why uther had to think outside the box to tackle her and indeed he had, weeks before confronting her with this news…

But the king did not know what it was like to live under persistent threat. to be made to feel weak as if that was her sole purpose in life because she was a woman, an orphan, or even because people thought they knew better than she and acted in her best interest before taking any consideration as to who she truly was. It had taken even death itself for Elaina to learn the lesson which she screamed back at Uther.

"I have a choice! you and so many others have always tried to take it from me, but I have and will always have a choice!"

The whole castle probably heard their rematch, Arthur, merlin, Gwen and Gaius wrestling with the want and need to barge through the doors to separate Elaina and the king, but powerless because they had all suffered at his hand and been toppled over one by one. Even morgana, she had to reach rock bottom under Uther's oppression, before her hatred began to raise her up again.

They all knew Elaina could stand up for herself, but there was a fear that lived inside her, one which Uther could finally use to his advantage against her.

His gritted teeth eased, his gaze distant to the outside window within the great hall, imagining a figure who he had allowed sleep and eat within his own home and who started all this, when morgana drew Uther's attention to the relationship Elaina built and needed direction in, in order to find suitability, stability and someone deserving of her station to humble her wilfulness and make her more penitent for her crimes against him.

"unless you forfeit it, for the sake of that criminal... The one you call Gwaine."

He didn't need to look at her, the silence was enough for him to know he had struck a chord. She tried her best to hide it but anyone able to release that sort of passion she had displayed the day Uther banished Gwaine the first time in this very room, was a mockery he could not forgive. That she would show more loyalty to a rogue peasant than her own king before others. He had overlooked that once before because of how that argument had transpired but when morgana made mention of letters Elaina had stored away, fearing for her sister's virtue, Uther had to act to correct the insane notion that Gwaine could continue in making jest of him, by taking up his ward as a lover and Elaina sullying her own and Uther's reputation, as being no more than a common whore.

"I had my guards search your rooms and they brought me these," he reached into his tunic, where only a few of Elaina's many, many letters were kept hidden, their parchment wrinkled from constant reading where she tried to recall Gwaine's scent or envision his smile behind such sweet words. She has poured over them countless times and knows their every detail, being precious keepsakes to make up for loss of physical contact and the sound of his voice. No matter how often she went over each sentence, she never bored of them and there always seemed to be the perfect comeback depending on her mood, like when she needed him most and was lost or just wanted advice to centre her when she didn't know which way to turn. She could imagine him whispering into her ear, her heart hammering away as her soul cried out in longing… they were an extension of their love for one another, a part of Gwaine to keep with Elaina when she missed him because of the distance that separated them and a flicker of hope, they would be together again.

However, to see them in Uther's greasy fingers as he deliberated over them calculably, she felt violated due to the intimacy they carried shared between herself and Gwaine, leaving her feeling vulnerable before a man she has ever endeavoured to be strong and defiant before.

He sniggered after a while and threw them aside, "…seems you and he have quite the relationship."

Protectively due to their precious contents, Elaina rushed and picked them up gently stroking the handwriting, as if it were Gwaine himself, "you had no right!"

Her voice shook, which filled Uther with glee to see he finally found her weakness and everything wouldn't be for nothing. For that was all love was good for, to make people suffer.

"I have every right, while you live under my roof, eat from my table, are under my guardianship; and as such, you will do as I ask. And as you're king, do as I command!"

Elaina shook her head, because Uther has said this to her ever since she was a child and it had yet to work because he as guardian and as king, meant nothing to her and she had never in her whole life sworn allegiance to him; only to Camelot itself. She would never bend the knee to a tyrant who would strip away her freedom because they believe their word sacred when it coincidently appealed to what they desired, not because it did any good.

Curiously she asked, "why, what do you get out of it, making me marry this stranger? I could walk straight out of here and be with Gwaine and it would make no difference to you, so why go out your way to make me miserable. What have I ever done to you, when you have done to me so much worse?"

Not for the first time, Elaina reeled at the fact her father was dead to leave her at the mercy of this monster, asking why Gorlois would ever deem it a good idea to leave his children to Uther and not another. It had crossed her mind to even try and hate her father for it, but that never developed into true feelings. In her head, he saw all that was happening, for how could he have peace for his soul to rest when his children lived in turmoil. He probably harboured more regret than she could summon that he did ask Uther to take her and morgana under his wing.

As was the habit, whenever she thought about Gorlois a tear escaped and ran down elaina's cheek and she slowly wiped it away, "I came here an orphan child! My father dead because of you and yet, it is you Uther who holds the resentment towards me. how does that make any sense?"

the sunlight beamed in to give Elaina's hair it's reddened glow and Uther saw the freckles scattered across her nose and the signature green of her irises cradled in wide doe like eyes…

a lengthy list he could tick off that made Elaina's resemblance to Gorlois striking and when she turned her head, or maybe laughed in a certainn way when Uther was not in close proximity to spoil it, it was like Gorlois himself was haunting his castle.

Uther's colour drained, when behind Elaina, he swore to see the man himself glaring at the king with judgement and with battle wounds riddled all over his ghostly visage. It no longer startled him, as Gorlois's presence was constantly in step with his daughter, to remind Uther of what he had done to the man, betraying him on more than one occasion and the repercussions for each instance severe.

"it is precisely that which has made me unable to tolerate your presence here. Every day since you were a girl, I have had to endure that blame and guilt, unable to escape the fact that my best friend died. You who look so much like him, it is like his ghost is ever present to taunt me."

Gorlois cupped Elaina's shoulder though she didn't seem to feel it, causing Uther to lean forwards waiting for her to pick up on the sensation so as to validate he was not going mad, but she never did, which added fuel to the fire.

"how could I ever accept someone who tortures me so, and more than that you are constantly rebelling against my every will and action and I grow weary of it. if marriage is the kindest escape I can find to be rid of you, then I shall take it for the sake of Gorlois."

Though she never held no care for Uther, to be viewed as such a disposable object hurt Elaina, especially as it wasn't for her own welfare he tried to pick someone of worth, but in the memory of her father instead, like she wasn't owed right to emotions.

But Gorlois was gone, what did it matter to Uther? He had committed far worse crimes that mistreatment of his friend's child, who he vowed to protect was the least of his worries. so Elaina still didn't see how he held sway over her if she refused this marriage.

"and what is the alternative if I tell you to go to hell; will I be imprisoned for insolence or worse, would it be the final straw and you would see me hang for treason?"

Uther finally rose from his seat of power, while Elaina had sunk onto the floor to pick up her letters.

Then like a vulture, he circled her, "I knew you would not concede to this plan. But understand I know the location of you're beloved and if you leave this castle, if you make any further communication with him, I will personally see to it that he bleeds out on the street, like a slaughtered pig. I shall whisper into his ear, that his death comes in response of ever giving his attention to you, and that his lady Elaina, is the cause for his suffering."

Finally, Uther detected a tremble and as he confronted her, face to face, her complexion had reddened, the tears freely flowing as she clutched those letters deeper into her chest, as they were the last remnants she would have of Gwaine. None shall be able to change Uther's mind soon as news spreads of Elaina's betrothal, not even Arthur for if he even so much as hints at any disapproval, Uther will banish him from attendance on the spot, until the wedding is over.

Then not so much to her, but directly into the opaque face of Gorlois, Uther added,

"trust me Elaina, there is no way out of this. Accept defeat and make the best of the situation. You and lord Erik may live in your ancestral home, enjoy a comfortable income and if he allows, continue in your medical work. Your ties to me permanently cut, to serve your husband, who you should be obedient towards, in order to gain any chance of happiness. In doing so, Gwaine shall continue to live and I will not harm a hair on his head...or yours."