Chapter 2

If, like Gwen, you had known Arthur as a teen, you would have assumed he took nothing from the various tutors and councilmen Uther had assigned to teach him what was required of a monarch. In those days Arthur spent as much time as he could shirking his lessons and either sparring with his knights or terrorising whatever poor manservant had the misfortune to serve him that week.

Yet, against all expectations and with the influence of those closest to him (Merlin and Gwen most of all), Arthur had grown into a formidable ruler. In the lead-up to their wedding, Gwen and Arthur had spent many hours discussing the responsibilities that a ruler had to their kingdom. He spoke to Gwen of everything, from the knights' battle formations to the levy on farmers' crops.

"The prophecies refer to me as the Once and Future King," he had informed her, embarrassed, after a long discussion about the Druids and their history within the kingdom before Uther's Purge. "I suppose that will make you my Once and Future Queen. Are you certain you want to accept such a heavy burden?"

He had spoken in jest, but Guinevere sensed a lingering fear beneath the question. What if she grew to regret her decision? She loved Arthur, of course she did, but marrying him meant more than that. It meant loving his kingdom, loving it even more than she loved him.

"Absolutely certain," she had answered firmly, and they had moved onto other topics.

Now, however, she couldn't deny a little twinge of regret at her choice. It had been two days since she, Elyan and Percival had been forced to abandon Arthur and Merlin, and she was chairing her very first council meeting.

"I still say we should devote all our resources to locating the King," Kendrick, a particularly irritating lord who Gwen had heard Merlin complain about on multiple occasions, spoke fervently. "If we were to be attacked..."

"If we were to be attacked, we would want our garrison at full strength." Gwen felt almost heady to speak in this way to a nobleman. Not so long ago she had been pouring him wine and calling him 'my Lord'. "We have sent search parties, but the King would not want to leave Camelot undefended for his sake."

"But this is my point. Without King Arthur to lead them, his strategy guiding their movements, what use is an army?"

"I hope," Sir Leon interjected sharply, "that you are not suggesting our Queen is incapable of leading her own men?"

"Of course he isn't," Alaric, another lord Gwen had heard Merlin speak ill of, hastened to Kendrick's defence. "But surely none can argue that King Arthur is unparalleled when it comes to battle? Not to mention we are without a Court Sorcerer now as well..."

"We have sent search parties," Gwen repeated wearily. They had been arguing circuitously for over two hours. "But the mercenaries who attacked us were sent by someone who knew our route. Whoever was behind the attack wanted to weaken Camelot."

"That makes no sense," Kendrick scoffed. "No one but the Council knew of the King's route."

She ignored his purposeful omission of her and Merlin in favour of responding, "Indeed. Which leads me to suspect there is a spy in our midst."

Instant uproar.

"A spy!" one man - Lord Riverten - blustered, his cheeks flaming red. "Really, you mean to accuse us of treachery? You a mere-"

"The Queen is right, Riverten," Gaius cut across the nobleman before he had the chance to say the words 'serving girl'. "Only the Council and a few select Knights knew of the route the contingent was planning to take. Whoever sent those mercenaries will have a bigger plan in mind."

"Even more reason to send more men to search for King Arthur and the sorcerer," Kendrick concluded triumphantly. "Now we are without either a leader or a magical protector. We are vulnerable."

"You are not without a leader," Gwen snapped back, patience finally wearing thin. "And I have made my decision. Our men will remain on high alert and we will not be increasing the search parties. This meeting is adjourned."

A few of the councilmen looked aggravated at her sudden dismissal and she wondered if she should have tried to be more diplomatic. She held Gaius and Leon back as the others filed out.

"Well done," Leon told her warmly once they were alone. "I think even Arthur would struggle with Kendrick, Riverten and Alaric all ganging up on him at once..."

"You did very well," Gaius agreed. "Particularly under such circumstances."

"I don't know how I'll ever get them to respect me. Kendrick would never dare interrupt Arthur like that."

"I know Merlin has struggled with such disrespect too." Leon's lips twitched. "Ever since Arthur told him off for not addressing Merlin by his proper title, Kendrick's been avoiding using Merlin's name. I think Arthur and Merlin find it quite funny seeing all the creative ways he manages to avoid it."

"I don't suppose there's a chance that he might be the spy?" Gaius asked. "It would be an easy way to be rid of him once and for all."

Gwen smiled at the comment, but then her expression turned thoughtful.

"Perhaps there is a way we could find out..."

Arthur had received his fair share of battle wounds. Some were worse than others and there were a few in particular which left aches and pains that still lingered to this day. A spot on his shoulder, scarred from where the Questing Beast had bitten him, twinged painfully every morning before he had the chance to stretch it. Another muscle in his leg, hurt in one of his earliest patrols, had the tendency to spasm painfully if he didn't treat it with particular care. These things were so much a part of life he barely noticed them any more.

The complete and utter absence of any twinge or spasm was rather strange though. In fact, he realised with surprise as he blinked awake, there was no pain whatsoever - not even in his stomach where he knew for certain he had been hit by a crossbow bolt. He reached down to feel where the wound should have been, but sure enough there was nothing save for a rip in the fabric of his shirt and the familiar roughness of dried blood on cloth.

"Merlin?"

Another oddity - no fussing warlock. Arthur sat up, feeling more refreshed than he could ever remember, and took stock of his surroundings.

He was in the main cavern of what looked to be a network of caves. Not far from where he lay there was an entrance, covered by a wall of foliage, vines, and the root of a gargantuan elm. It was, Arthur realised, the perfect place to have hidden from bloodthirsty mercenaries.

"Merlin!" He got to his feet, still marvelling at how good he felt. "Where are you?"

His words echoed back at him. He stomped over to where his scabbard and sword had been haphazardly abandoned. As he bent to pick the items up, he heard something skitter behind him. The sound reminded him of the enormous spiders which had once pursued him in the cave of the Mortaeus flower, and he spun around with Excalibur raised high and ready to strike.

The sword nearly dropped from nerveless fingers, however, as he found himself staring into bright blue eyes that seemed very familiar - save for the fact they were embedded in the face of a boy who couldn't have been more than three or four years in age.

His moment's hesitation cost him. The blue eyes blazed gold and an unnatural gu st of wind blew through the cave and knocked him off balance. In the seconds it took to right himself, the young boy - young Merlin? - had run off down one of the tunnels.

Arthur took just a moment to bemoan whatever misfortune had brought about this set of circumstances, before swiftly following his de-aged friend.

"You asked to see me, Your Highness?"

She wanted to tell him to drop the formalities, but knew the devoted servant would not be persuaded. Merlin had been trying for long enough without success.

"Come in, George, and please close the door. I have a special task for you."

If he was surprised, his face showed no sign of it. As a servant he was, always, impassive, polite and amenable. Which was exactly what Gwen needed of him.

"There is a spy among my Council," she told him without preamble. "I want you to find out who it is."

His brow creased almost imperceptibly. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Your Majesty."

"You serve all the lords of the Council, is that right?"

"Save for Lord Endill. He has his own manservant."

"I doubt Lord Endill is the spy." Endill was nearing his ninetieth year and due to retire from the Council any day now. "Though I will be thoroughly impressed if he is."

George did not smile, but then Gwen hadn't really expected him to.

"I believe the spy is someone who is unhappy with Arthur's recent reforms," she continued. "The more traditionalist men like Lord Kendrick. The exact men who would pay no heed to a servant such as yourself, George."

"I see. So you want me to... monitor the lords of the Council?"

"And report anything suspicious back to me. Make yourself invaluable George, but remain completely invisible and unseen by them. Do you think you can manage that?"

His quirked eyebrow seemed to say, well obviously.