Arthur tapped Fredrick's left shoulder with Excalibur and then his right. "Arise, Sir Fredrick, Knight of Camelot and defender of the crown."
"Heaven help me," he prayed under his breath before rising to his feet. Arthur had a small smirk on his face as if he'd heard the comment and Fredrick wasn't entirely sure how to take the king pleasure in his discomfort. He was a knight of Camelot now, a place he'd never aspired to. His fellows who really knew him would do the same when they found out.
"Now, take your place beside Lady Guinevere. You'll remain her personal guard with no other duty than to protect her in my absence." Well, that didn't sound too onerous. It was what he'd been doing already.
"On my honor and my life, Your Highness." That …show more content…
"You thought life was good as a soldier. Wait until the ladies see you in a cape. They'll be fighting to get it off of you." He wiggled his eyebrows to stress his point, his grin all teeth. A few snorts escaped from the other knights and the king just palmed his cheek. Gwen did not appreciate the comment either.
Fredrick rolled his eyes. There was his answer. Frivolity and the delights of the flesh. Nothing about the honor and danger of his new position, only a poor display of shallow minds. He was old, perhaps twice the age of the oldest of anyone in the room except Gaius. He'd had his fill of women since his wife passed long ago, and none of them could capture his heart. That now belonged to Gwen, the daughter he'd never thought to have, and right now, there was no room for anyone else.
Arthur reclined in his chair and paid each one of them a thoughtful glance, except Gwaine. His was more with annoyance. Percival sat to his left, then Gwaine and Merlin. Gaius was nearer Guinevere at the other end. On his right sat Elyan and Ranulf, and then Fredrick further down. He rested his gaze upon Gwen before flickering a glance to a rigid and uncertain Merlin. Where to …show more content…
The quiet was instant. The intensity rose as troubled glances flew around the room, harder ones falling on the king. "Two out of the three in Morgana's service."
"Someone killed them before the battle," Gwaine surmised, his widened gaze the only indication of his shock.
"To increase our chances of defeating Morgana," the king emphasized. "Even she had been rendered powerless. Someone helped us." Confusion again crossed the faces of those not fully aware of the circumstances, as if it were very hard to grasp the meaning of Arthur's words.
"Who?" Elyan asked.
"Another sorcerer," Arthur said with conviction. "A powerful one." Silence greeted his bold assertion before their voices erupted in torrents of disbelief. Arthur heard every one of them.
"You've got to be kidding," said Ranulf, sounding more outraged than outright angry.
"That can't be," Elyan retorted, the denial was almost a snort. "We've stood well on our own merit."
"Jupiter's balls! Really?" Gwaine exclaimed, paying Merlin an amused, yet speculative glance. Merlin noticed and raised an eyebrow and stared back boldly while trying not to look
"Heaven help me," he prayed under his breath before rising to his feet. Arthur had a small smirk on his face as if he'd heard the comment and Fredrick wasn't entirely sure how to take the king pleasure in his discomfort. He was a knight of Camelot now, a place he'd never aspired to. His fellows who really knew him would do the same when they found out.
"Now, take your place beside Lady Guinevere. You'll remain her personal guard with no other duty than to protect her in my absence." Well, that didn't sound too onerous. It was what he'd been doing already.
"On my honor and my life, Your Highness." That …show more content…
"You thought life was good as a soldier. Wait until the ladies see you in a cape. They'll be fighting to get it off of you." He wiggled his eyebrows to stress his point, his grin all teeth. A few snorts escaped from the other knights and the king just palmed his cheek. Gwen did not appreciate the comment either.
Fredrick rolled his eyes. There was his answer. Frivolity and the delights of the flesh. Nothing about the honor and danger of his new position, only a poor display of shallow minds. He was old, perhaps twice the age of the oldest of anyone in the room except Gaius. He'd had his fill of women since his wife passed long ago, and none of them could capture his heart. That now belonged to Gwen, the daughter he'd never thought to have, and right now, there was no room for anyone else.
Arthur reclined in his chair and paid each one of them a thoughtful glance, except Gwaine. His was more with annoyance. Percival sat to his left, then Gwaine and Merlin. Gaius was nearer Guinevere at the other end. On his right sat Elyan and Ranulf, and then Fredrick further down. He rested his gaze upon Gwen before flickering a glance to a rigid and uncertain Merlin. Where to …show more content…
The quiet was instant. The intensity rose as troubled glances flew around the room, harder ones falling on the king. "Two out of the three in Morgana's service."
"Someone killed them before the battle," Gwaine surmised, his widened gaze the only indication of his shock.
"To increase our chances of defeating Morgana," the king emphasized. "Even she had been rendered powerless. Someone helped us." Confusion again crossed the faces of those not fully aware of the circumstances, as if it were very hard to grasp the meaning of Arthur's words.
"Who?" Elyan asked.
"Another sorcerer," Arthur said with conviction. "A powerful one." Silence greeted his bold assertion before their voices erupted in torrents of disbelief. Arthur heard every one of them.
"You've got to be kidding," said Ranulf, sounding more outraged than outright angry.
"That can't be," Elyan retorted, the denial was almost a snort. "We've stood well on our own merit."
"Jupiter's balls! Really?" Gwaine exclaimed, paying Merlin an amused, yet speculative glance. Merlin noticed and raised an eyebrow and stared back boldly while trying not to look