" I'm sorry, sire. Their wounds were fatal" Gaius answered " We were unable to learn anything from them"

" We know one thing" Merlin speaks up " It can't have been a coincidence that they were there"

Gwen frowned her eyebrows at Merlin when the door opened once again and Leon, with a guard holding Arthur's saddle, entered the room.

Violet blushed when she made eye contact with Leon and look down at her feet. Aria noticed that Leon too was blushing slightly and smirked.

"Sire. We recovered your saddle from the forest trail. The girth has been unpicked and restitched. It was designed to break, sire" Leon informed the king as Arthur went ot have a look at his saddle.

" It appears, Merlin, on this single, solitary,  occasion" Arthur turned to look at Merlin" You may be right"

Aria glared slightly at Gwen as she knew she had something to with it. Merlin noticed Aria glaring at Gwen and looked confused.

__________________________________

In the council chambers, Tyr Seward, the king's stable hand, stood before the king, queen, and princess. He had been arrested on suspicion of treason.
Gwaine and Percival were stood on either side of Tyr.

" The thread that we found at the boy's home matches that used to sabotage your saddle, sire" Leon informed from where he stood on Arthur's right. Gwen and Aria stood and Arthur's left.

Aria was starting sympathetically at Tyr. He was her friend and she knew he was loyal to the king and would never do something like this.

" Who put you up to this Tyr?" Arthur asked with his arms crossed.

"No one" Tyr answered and Aria could tell he was frightened " No ones put me up to anything, sire."

" Are you saying you acted alone? Had no help, no accomplice?"

" I don't know anything about these things you're talking about. I've done nothing, sire" Tyr replied " Save look after your horse and tack like I always do"

" The evidence is staring you in the face. You can't deny it" Arthur said

"Sire, I swear on my mother's life."

Arthur, looking annoyed, walk up to Tyr.

" Just give me their name. Why protect them? They can't help you now" Arthur told him gently

Aria caught Gwen narrowing her eyes at Tyr. What had she done now?

" Just give me their name" Arthur tried

" I have no name" Tyr trembled "There's no name to give"

" Then you leave me no choice. Though it saddens me greatly to do so, I must charge you with treason. Is there anything further you'd like to say?" Arthur questioned

" You're my king, sire. I'd never do anything to hurt you. Never" Tyr shakes his head.

Arthur walked back to where he was before and faced Tyr again. Tyr glanced fearfully at Aria and saw the worried and saddened look on her face.

" Tyr Seward, by the power vested in me, I hereby sentence you to death."

Aria gasped and exchanged looks with Merlin.

Arthur nodded to Percival and Gwaine who stepped forward, took Tyr by the arms and took him to the cells.

Aria attempted to run after them but Gwen roughly caught her forearm keeping her in place. Aria turned and glared hardly at Gwen, ripping her arm from her grip and storming out of the council chambers. Violet shared a concerned look with Leon before rushing after the princess.

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