Arthur

The mission was simple: kill the sorcerer to avenge their fallen knight. He tracked and killed sorcerers before. But none of them acted as Osgar did when caught. He didn't even defend himself. When he and Mordred had him at sword point.

Arthur had expected him to lecture on about how much he hated him. Instead he place a trinket in his palm. Once they lowered their swords.

"It's is done."

"What is the meaning of this." He furrowed his brows.

"It's both judgment and fate." Arthur turn to stare at Mordred and Merlin. Both of them seemingly, just as bewildered at this as he was. He faced the sorcerer as he spoke, making even less sense as he did.

"You have waged war on the people of the old religion."

"Now the ancient gods answer you. The Disir have spoken."

"The circle of fate begins to close. For even as Camelot blooms. The seeds of her destruction are being sown." Despite his words there was no malice in his eyes or voice.

"What nonsense is this?" He turns to find them standing in silence.

Arthur's eyes drop to where. Oscar grips his forearm. "It isn't to late Arthur. Not too late to find the true path." He squints up at him. "Redeem yourself." He blinked slowly, gritted through the pain. Clutching his side as he turns to lay down. "No further chance shall be given."

With the sorcerer died and buried. They went to find Gwaine and Eylan. Dragging them back to camp where Merlin healed them of their wounds. Sitting by the warmth of the fire. Merlin didn't make any retorts at his teasing. His face wore a serious and grim expression. The whole journey back to Camelot.

Three days pass and he had yet to succeed at getting a smile back on Merlin's face. Leaving Arthur with boredom, their causal banter usually washes away. Frustrated at Merlin's mood. He agreed to talk with Gaius about the rune mark. Hoping his words would dismiss whatever concerns had Merlin, in such a mood.

He sat in front of court physician in disbelief. Osgar warnings dooming his kingdom, had been easy to ignore. But hearing similar ones from Gaius. Didn't sit right with him.

Arthur's inability to pin point why the Disir judged him weighed on him. As he made his way up to his chamber. With Merlin following to help him get ready for bed. Grabbing his belt off the privacy screen, he listened to Merlin's words with intent. "Well, perhaps they feel you're worthy enough to be judge."

"What do you mean by that?" He asked. Tying the belt around his waist.

"Judgement is wasted on a man. Who won't listen."

"You think I should take them seriously?" Merlin shifted from where stood holding his chain mail. With glint of amusement in his eyes.

"I think you've already have." Merlin's gives what was the first hint of a smile. Since the sorcerer's death. Dismissing him Arthur considers his words. Osgar had no reason to think. He would listen to him. Yet he still died pleading with him to heed his warning. Of some vague doom awaiting him and Camelot.

His eyes glued to the tune mark. He couldn't bring himself to eat supper. Gwen brought in a plate full of fruit for him. He thanked her for her kindness.

"He was a deranged, desperate man. You said so yourself." She sat down on his desk. He shook his head. It wouldn't explain what motivation. Oscar had other than killing him.

"Merlin was right." He fidgeted with the rune mark in his hand. "He could've killed me, instead he thought it was more important to have me this. And he gave his life doing so."

"Who can fathom the mind of fanatic."

"It wasn't what was in his eyes, Guinevere." He paused. "There was no hated there, it was something else."

Somehtimg that made him feel on edge.

"Pity almost." He fiddled with the rune mark between his fingers. "Why would a sorcerer pity a king?"

"Come. Eat. Something." He couldn't. His thoughts were too loud. As another question came to mind. Pity for what?

"What if the Disir are right? What if I have transgressed in some way? What if I've put Camelot in danger?"

"Arthur, you're a good and just king."

"The Disir don't seem to think so."

"That's because they don't you like I do. If they did. They would feel nothing but love." Her words drowned out his worries. Replacing them with urgency to demand. Why they had the right to judge him. Just as those closest to him did.

Following the directions Gaius had given them. He gathered his knights to head for the white mountains. Where they found the Disir's cave, entering armed despite Merlin's protest. In the center three hooded figures stood motionless. "I'm Arthur Pendragon, king of Comelot."

"I've came to know the meaning of this." He flicked the time mark off to the side of the cave. The Disir peered from beneath their hoods to glance down at it. "Grove of Breneved is in the kingdom of Camelot, subject to it's laws, it's decrees."

"Everyman, however humble, however noble. Has the right to be judged only by his peers." He pause to take a step forward. Voicing how affront he was by their decision. "Yet you judge me in my absence."

"Explain yourself."

"We don't judge." "We don't condem." "We are but the internuncio of the one who presides over all."

"Who sees all." "Who knows all."

Then they all spoke as one. "The triple goddess."

"And you Arthur pedragon, have angered her."

"How so?"

"Have I not been a honorable king?"

"Have not made Camelot a fair and just kingdom?" He clenched his jaw.

"So much is true. But you've denied the old religion." "Dismiss its faith." "Persecuted it's followers. Even onto slaughter."

Arthur shifted his stance. "I fight against sorcery. Superstition, that's all."

"Embace the ways of the old religion, Arthur Pendragon." "Or risk the ire of the goddess." "The destruction of everything you value most" "The end of your region" "The fall of Camelot itself."

His shoulders tense. They throw consequence at him for not trusting their judgment. Angry boiled inside him. "I refuse to be by judge those who don't no know me."

"Very well then. Who do you, out of all your peers. Judgment do you trust?"

"Merlin." He answered, without hesitation.

As useless of a manservant as he was. Merlin was also stubbornly loyal. Even he when judged Arthur actions to be that of a prat.