Arthur growled as he pulled on his boots and grabbed his red coat along with a dark brown cloak. He was going out tonight. He tiptoed softly to the door to see a pair of boots standing right in front of the door. He paused and counted up till ten in his head and heard the guard in position start to move down the hall. The next guard to take his place should be here in exactly 300 counts or five minutes. Which was why he found it weird that on the 15 count mark another pair of boots were seen through the bottoms of his chamber door.

Without hesitating Arthur made a dash and slid under the bed right in time as he heard his door creak open. Arthur etched his way closer to the edge to see who was sneaking into his chambers at this time of night and why exactly their footsteps sounded so familiar. He heard the whooshing sound of a sword being pulled out of its sheath and the pull of his blankets before the intruder gasped in relief? And took a step back. Once he hit the wall he slid down it to sit on the floor his head in his hands. Arthur knew those hands. He knew those brown curls anywhere. Arthur made his way out from under the bed and quickly disarmed the man who was like a brother for as long as he'd known.

"Why?"

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sire."

"No. Don't. Not you. Don't you dare."

"Arthur. I would never."

"Then why are you here! Why did you sneak in here and try to kill me?"

"I wasn't going to I swear!"

"I saw everything Leon! It sure looked like it."

"I thought about it, but you know me Arthur. I'm your best friend you know I would never ever hurt you."

"Then explain. Because I can't even begin to grasp why you would do this?"

"My brother is in trouble." Leon muttered looking down at his feet.

"Leopold? What's wrong with him?"

"Your uncle has threatened to hang him unless."

"Unless you kill me."

Leon nodded, "But I couldn't go through with it and then when I saw you weren't in your bed I thought you had somehow figured it out and escaped."

"My uncle has no grounds to kill Leopold."

"He threatened to charge him with treason for stealing the royal jewels. He said he would plant the jewels in his chambers unless…

"He wants the throne doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"We must go to the council. My uncle must pay for his crimes."

"You can't. He has spies everywhere. You must run."

"No, I'm not a coward Leon. I will fight my uncle if I must."

"You can't he will have you jailed and tell the council that you planned to kill him."

"If I leave, what will happen to your brother, to you?"

"My brother will hang anyways for treason and I for association."

"Then let's get him and run."

"We can't."

"He wants to kill me, Leon. We must retreat and come up with a plan to unveil my uncle to the people as the true monster he is."

Leon nodded before turning to the door as he heard footsteps. "We're going to need a new escape route."

Merlin lifted the spoon from his soup and took a sip. It tasted alright but after eating the same thing for the past couple of days only a few sips filled him. He placed the spoon down on the table and pushed his plate forward before grabbing his goblet and downing all the water in it.

"May I be excused."

"No." Merlin's father said before turning back to Merlin's mother.

Merlin glared for a moment before turning to his servant and raising his glass. He stopped the servant from reaching for the water pitcher and signaled for the boy to pick up the wine instead.

"Drinking again, son?"

"You make it sound like I'm a drunk."

Hunith sighed and reached for her wine goblet as well, "Don't start now. Either of you. Merlin you are excused- 'Thank you mother- after you finish your supper."

"Mother! You can't be serious."

He turned to his father and glared as his father smirked and let out a hearty laugh. "Finish up, son."

"I can't. Come on mother. We have had fish soup for the past couple of weeks I can't take it anymore."

"We live in an island surrounded by water fish is the only thing to eat."

"That's a lie. I saw the chicken herder got a new goat!"

"You want to eat goat?"

"Well not particularly, but I prefer it to fish for the eighth day in the row!"

"Well too bad. We are low on chickens we're down to our last two cows as well. Fish is our only source of protein and will remain our only source till I say so."

"What about Kilgharra and the rest of the dragons. I'm sure they can fly to the mainland and-"

"Going to the mainland is forbidden."

"Well what about when we finish all the fish huh! What about when we are starving to our deaths with no more cows or chickens or goats to feed us!"

"I doubt that will happen, but if that ever did happened you're lucky were all stocked up on grains and vegetables."

Merlin sighed before picking up his spoon and force feeding himself. He didn't finish the plate he refused to give his father the satisfaction. He left a measly portion and excused himself before grabbing the wine pitcher and teleporting in a whirl of wind that shook the cutlery slightly before his parents could even berate him.

Hunith smiled slightly before turning to her husband. "He's just upset. Nimueh has been punishing him for refusing to follow instructions. And even I am tired of the fish, husband."

"We're all tired of fish, but we can't go to the mainland you know that."

"What if we send the wyvrn. Dragons may be considered banished in the mainland but wyvrn are not."

"Wyvrn are numbskulls they will wreak havoc."

"Are you saying the Great Dragon Lord can't command a small team of wyvrn to hunt and bring us food"

"I know what you are doing Hun."

"Is it working?"

"I'll see what I can do."