Queen of Camelot ~~~ON HIATUS~~~

Chapter Nineteen (V)

Once it was just Artura and her father in the room, she step out to speak. "Sire."

"Do you contest my judgment?" He challenged her. Artura was not in the mood to fight her father, but sh still hoped to guide him towards reason.

Shaking her head she began. "His deception was inexcusable." She knew her father was right about that, yet she had seen him as a bystander not as royalty he was so loyal to a place that would never expect him. "But he meant no harm, Sire, I'm sure of it. He only wished to serve."

Uther pondered on her words, trying to understand his daughter for once. She had started correctly, he wouldn't listen if she denied that him of being right, but gave more information to his character allowing him the ability to judge better. "The First Code is a sacred bond of trust. It is what binds the knights together. How can you trust a man who's lied to you?" He concluded. Artura only nodded her father had a valuable point how much was a lie.

--

Merlin slammed the door open pacing around. "Merlin?" Gaius called out to him.

Running a hand through his hair already trying to solve the problem that he had caused. "Whatever you do, don't say, 'I told you so.'" Merlin begged him. Guilt crawled at his stomach, it was his fault he had talked Lancelot into lying and now the innocent man was paying for Merlin's action. Which was exactly what Gaius had earlier warned him against.

"I have no wish to gloat, Merlin. What's done is done." Gaius confessed bring comfort to the lost boy. "Here. Come and take a look at this. I realized my mistake. I've been looking for the creature in the wrong place, in the records of all known living things in the kingdom. And then I thought, but what about creatures only recorded in legend? In myth? Then I discovered this." Merlin followed Gaius over to the open book.

"That is it. That's the monster." Merlin noted remembering the beast that had almost taken his life. Almost as if one cue the warning bells rang, both heads snapped towards the window racing over to get a look. The monster swooped over the courtyard as people ran in fear.

--

They raced out in full armor. "On me! On me!" Artura shouts at her companions. They shuffle creating a barrier between her and the beast.

"Defend!" Artura orders her voice ringing clear and strong. They crouched down their spears pointed upwards. With a loud cry the griffin dives down sweeping them all away.

"What's happening?!" Lancelot called out from the jail below peering out for a better look.

Slowly the knights pulled themselves back up groaning. They get back into place the griffin circled to the ground. Quickly assessing the situation, her knight had taken a hard blow from the creature. "Charge! On me!" She commanded preparing herself to attack.

Lunging forward she positioned her spear precisely at the monsters chest where the heart would be. Instead of digging into the beast like she had hoped the spear snapped on contact. Artura stumbled away in shock. That never really happened before. A guard reflexively snatched a torch tossing it Artura's way. She easily caught the torch spinning to face the beast once more. It hiss as the flame got closer. Grinning she lunged and pivoted around scaring the beast away.

--

Artura follower her father into the meeting room, her entourage following behind, she was grateful they had just been rocked around a bit and not seriously injured. "You said your knights were the best in the land. You proved that today." Her father congratulated, something he rarely did.