Chapter 4 [Royal Guest Chambers]
Three floors overhead, Activity buzzed about the royal chambers. Lament and Relief echoed across residents' and guests' areas. Nemeth's (and ultimately everyone else's) sovereignty had withstood Invasion's challenge. Funerary Pyres scattered ash about the countryside. Condolences exchanged with one another. Thanks exchanged between Rank and File's members…
...but that is as far as it would go….
Victory, it seemed, bore a double-edged sword. While preserved, Nemeth's pro-magic and hardliner factions both wanted answers. Spell of such magnitude emanated shockwaves across Politics' landscape as with the battlefield. Bernard's betrayal of Reyna incited popular protest outside in the Upper Town. Aredian's trial and Uther's trampling of Rodor's prerogative heat that pot to a boil….
…forget Civil War…Britannia-Wide War…possibly sweeping across Old Roman World….
Shylock, eat your heart out….
[A/N: Radegund is from the Faerie Queene.]
[Arthur's Chamber]
Arthur paced about his chamber. Frustration burned at him. Death claimed three out of every ten Camelot knights. Wounds tore at another thirty percent of them. Magic's intervention drove his father and the court to sheer madness. Reyna's impending execution made sordid mess. His hands rifled through Wardrobe's selections. Chamber pot's stench clogged his nostrils. Dust rather than wine filled his goblet. Chain mail needed repair. Sword required sharpening. Diplomatic meetings
Merlin, however, remained nowhere to be found….
Merlin….
Arthur smacked the desk. Impatience smoldered within him. Where is he? I TOLD HIM TO STAY OFF THE FIELD! He shook his head. "I will never get ready like this! I need him right now! Idiot… He just cannot do what he is told!"
"Idiot, is he?" Sarcasm sauced a feminine voice. "And such sentiments from a Crown Prince no less!"
Arthur ground his teeth. A deep breath and then another composed him. His throat cleared. He turned toward a red-haired woman a head taller than himself. Sol glittered off of armored chest plate, elbow, and knee guards. Knicks and a few small tears sported her buckskin garb. Eyebrow arched. "Queen Radegund?" He nodded in deference to her rank.
"Perhaps you might close your door if you'd prefer to rant, Prince Arthur. THE WHOLE PASSAGE CAN HEAR YOU!" Indignant sniff spurted from her nose. Scorn smoldered in her eyes. "I'd let you carry on like a spoiled child. Merlin, however, deserves far better!" She stalked into chamber on her own accord. "You have no idea. Do you?"
"Do I…what?" Arthur narrowed his eyes. "I need to prepare for our meeting later! My servant decides to go somewhere! I told him not to!"
"And you always do what you are told?" She shook her head. "Aye. I would want reasons as well. I too would want to know why one of my sisters defied an order. There are valid reasons. Merlin has one." She curled her lip at him. Irony played a game with them. He really has no idea! "He saved your rear baggage train." Necessity demanded the lie….
…well more like downplaying Truth's feat….
"Merlin? Saved the rear baggage…? HAH!" Harsh cough escaped from Arthur's mouth. "Pardon me. You do not know him, Milady."
Her fingers tapped Impatience's dance across the table to her left. "I realize you are distraught, Prince. Do not presume to make light of my observations. No man laughs at an Amazon much less a Queen! I know what I saw! It is not the first time I have seen Merlin fight on Camelot's behalf either!" She shook her head. "And yet you speak of him like this?"
Indignity frothed in his heart. Diplomacy clamped his mouth shut. "Lady, you do not see his clumsiness. Perhaps you'd get an answer for the taverns? Or going off to pick flowers and herbs instead of seeing to my needs around the household!" He pointed at the mess. "Look at this!"
"I am very well aware. Lower. Your. Voice. Now!" Disrespect frayed Patience to the breaking point. Anger's smolder sparked. Threat hissed even as Diplomacy attempted restraint. "I am trying to remember the need for diplomacy! Just know that I have sent several warriors to look for the missing. King Rodor has knights and his healer, Britomart, looking as well! Merlin is among those missing warriors! Aye. I said warrior. My best healer, Elena, accompanies them. Perhaps, upon her return, you might ask her of Merlin's true qualities? She regaled me with his feats. I saw for myself last season against raiders in my domains. I saw out there again!" Deep sigh punctuated her clarification. "Aye. He saved your rear baggage. Unlike the rest of you men, Merlin fought alongside my sisters and me! Willingly! He shed blood beside us! WILLINGLY! I lent him a shield." She reached back into the passage.
Nicked Up Sword, Cracked Shield, and Bloodied Neckerchief raised up in her hands.
Arthur stared. Recognition grabbed onto his mind. Protests and arguments ceased. Rants stopped. Mess disregarded. His face paled. Disbelief and Denial flooded his brain. His jaw slackened. "I told him. Why? Why does he…? He had no armor! I…." Blood grabbed his eye. His hand drifted toward it.
Blood…Merlin's Blood….
"This, Prince, is honor!" She held the neckerchief up in front of him. "So! I see that got your attention!" She set it firmly in his hand. "Nay! Merlin had only those! And you carry on about this? Take those to your King!" She held her hands out to encompass the chamber. "THIS?"
Arthur stared some more. He looked up at Radegund.
"I believe that now you understand!" She folded her arms across her chest. "Keep the shield and sword. If you do not, make sure King Rodor or Princess Mithian have them. They would have a place in their Hall of Heroes. I have my business elsewhere."
"Father will not let me search. I…." Arthur stammered to get a few more words out.
"And well I should not!" Uther stalked into the chamber. "What is the meaning of this?" He took in the shield, sword, and bloodied neckerchief. "What are these things?"
"Those are Merlin's. I was returning them to the Prince. He was bellowing on about his servant's whereabouts." A shrug raised and lowered her shoulders. "I believe those are answer enough. I believe he is worthy of a search!"
Uther rolled his eyes. "He is but a servant, Amazon! Merlin is replaceable! His death is lamentable. However, there are more important…."
She snorted. "Such as burning an innocent woman? Oh, pardon me! SHE USED MAGIC! SO HAVE YOU, BIGOT!"
"Father?" Arthur stiffened.
"She lies." Uther set his jaw. "What do we expect of a witch and woman, Arthur? She would take the side of a sorcerer!" He pointed toward the door. "LEAVE!"
"You do not order me!" She got right up in his face. "I at least rule for all of my people! Reconsider! Allow King Rodor to pardon her! She serves the greater good! I would not allow dark magic in my realm! Nor does he!"
"While I am here, I will make sure such sentiments are considered the folly that they are!" Uther motioned toward the sword and shield. "Likely stories all! Leave, Amazon. I will kill you."
"You cannot." Smug almost daring smirk challenged Uther. "I have seen enough blood. I stay to support Lady Reyna in her trial. I cannot save her. I will make sure she is honored and remembered." Radegund shook her head. "I will take these. I would not sully them with your presence, Pendragon!" She glared at Arthur again. Then, she hefted the shield and sword. "Keep the cloth as a reminder of true worthiness!"
"Father? What if she is…?" Arthur paced about the chamber. Questions and doubts pestered him. He struggled with different realities.
"She would distract us from dealing with that witch! Likely story!" Uther shook his head. He grabbed the neckerchief. "Amazon! Take your bloodied rag with you!" He hit her in the back with it.
"MY QUEEN!" A dark-haired buckskinned warrior stiffened. Her hand reached for her sword.
"HOLD, MYGWYF!" Radegund picked the neckerchief up. She held it to her nose. "These men do not understand. We must show restraint, Sister. Take the shield and sword with us. We go about our own business!" She led them both out and down the passage.
"Father?" Arthur motioned toward the passage. "What if…?"
"Arthur, that boy is but a servant! It is a terrible shame that he got involved! Still, he defied orders to do so! You are not responsible for his recklessness! Forget about it! Rodor and she have search parties out. I would not waste our knights for a servant!" Uther turned his nose up. "We'll find someone to clean this up. Get dressed!" He stalked out and down the passage.
What if Merlin's hurt? What if he's dying? STUPID! IDIOT! I TOLD HIM NOT TO FIGHT! OF COURSE *HE DID*! Just wait! Arthur grabbed a tunic and pants. Hellfire and Brimstone Lecture awaited.
Diplomacy restrained tensions…barely….