Gwaine made his way to the royal quarters. When he knocked, Arthur shouted for him to enter. He found the king working at his desk.
“Gwaine,” Arthur said in surprise. “You're up early.”
“I could say the same to you,” Gwaine countered good-naturedly. He walked further inside and sat down across from the king nonchalantly. “I have a request.”
“You may not have the day off,” Arthur said, holding his hand up.
Gwaine chuckled. “Not my question, but good to know.”
Arthur gestured for him to continue as the king put down his quill pen and signet ring. He gave his full attention to the knight.
“There are two people I think you should consider especially for knighthood,” Gwaine started. “They are good men, and know how to fight. They're extremely loyal to Camelot and to you.”
“They definitely sound like they'd be worth looking at,” the king agreed. “What are their names?”
“The twins, Mark and Michael.”
“The servants?” Arthur looked surprised. “Yours and Tristan’s?”
Gwaine nodded.
“I don't know,” the king sighed. “The council will have a fit.”
“Can we afford to be picky in war?” Gwaine urged the king on. “With Morgana out there, we need every able body we have! Damn the council, and damn the rules.”
“Careful, Gwaine,” Arthur warned.
Gwaine laughed. “Oh come off it. You married a servant. It's not like you aren't against breaking the rules.”
With a dramatic eye roll, Arthur nodded. “True. Very well, but you're in charge of their training.”
“You want me in charge of them?” Gwaine flashed Arthur a conspiratorial smile. “Those two? Now you're just asking for trouble.”
“Don't make me regret this.”
Gwaine winked as he stood. Giving the king a mock bow, he sped out of the room and went to take his breakfast in his quarters. He looked forward to giving Mark the good news.
Meanwhile, Fira and Gaius reached the lower town and exited the gates of Camelot. The town was already bustling with activity. Kids ran to and fro, eager to see the newest caravan for the war effort. The entire clearing outside the Citadel and Camelot City was filled to the brim with tents for sleeping and stalls with food for the masses. The horse traders took up any remaining space with the thirty horses they’d brought in.
“Let’s start with the teenagers,” Gaius decided as he shuffled along with Fira. “The youngest of the group that is fit for fighting.”
Fira nodded. “Sounds like a good plan.”
They reached the tent allotted for them. A whole line of people had formed by ages. Sixteen was the cut off age for knight and guard recruits. Gaius and Fira took their seats at opposite ends of the tent and took patients one at time from these.
They finished the sixteen and seventeen year olds in an hour. Fira joked around with a boy her age when she finished and sent him out the door with a clean bill of health. She beckoned for the guard to let in her next patient. Her face turned white as sheet when she recognized the man.
“Mikhail.”
The young man stepped forward, wary of Fira. Memories flooded back to Fira’s mind, memories of her first month with the knights and serving Camelot. She and the knights had been on patrol when they stopped overnight at a cabin with a small family. The father of the family had been executed for magic some years before leaving three children and a widow. The middle child, a boy named Pavel, had attempted the kill Percival in revenge. Fira had used her magic to stop him. This made Mikhail, the oldest, a threat. He knew her secret and had every reason to expose her. Her face betrayed the terror in her heart.
“Hello, Fira.” Mikhail came over and bowed his head in greeting. “It’s been awhile.”
Fira shivered in fear and nodded. “Nearly two years.”
“That long?” He paused. “I guess you're right.”
Fira gestured for Mikhail to sit down. She listened to his breathing in silence as he watched her. At last she stood up and faced him.
“What are you doing here?”
Mikhail appeared genuinely surprised. “I'm trying for knighthood. It's been opened to commoners for the war effort.”
Fira leaned in and whispered. “But you have every reason to hate Arthur Pendragon.” She shook her head. “Don't think I've forgotten what happened to your family.”
“I told you last time.” Mikhail glared at her. “I do not hold King Arthur responsible for his father’s actions.”
“What about Pavel?”
Mikhail sighed to her. “It would be best if he doesn't know you’re here. He’d probably say some unfortunate things.”
She agreed with him. Pavel was a ticking bomb. As soon as he figured out she lived in the Citadel, he’d try to blow the whistle on her magic. It now became only a matter of when, not if, her magic is exposed.
“You're free to go,” Fira told him ten minutes later after asking a series of questions. “You're in fine health.”
Mikhail thanked her and left the tent. Fira continued to treat patients until lunch, at which point Gaius dismissed her. She grabbed food in the kitchen and ate most of it in her chambers. When all that remained was a chunk of bread, she decided to eat it while watching the knights train the newest recruits.
By the time she reached the fields, they were bustling with activity. Every knight of Camelot had a group of recruits to train except Leon. The first knight of Camelot stood beside the King near a rack of weapons. They spoke together quietly, Leon gesturing every once and awhile to certain people.
Fira smiled and waved at them when they caught her gaze. Both nodded in greeting and slowly made their way over to where she stood beside a tree. Along the way, Arthur watched those he passed carefully and critically. Eventually the two men reached her.
Arthur got straight to the point. “How'd the intake go this morning?”
“Fine, mostly.” She hesitated, and then decided to tell them about Mikhail. “Leon, do you remember the family we ran into over a year ago? The one with the kid you tried to stab Percival?”
Leon suddenly nodded and turned to Arthur. “I was telling you how I recognized the young man with Gwaine. That’s how I know him.”
“Mikhail’s training with Gwaine?” Fira looked satisfied. “I got lucky there.”
“Why?” Arthur looked confused.
It was Leon who clarified it for him. “Mikhail knows certain details about Fira that we’d all rather remain secret.”
“Ah.” A frown passed over Arthur’s face. He looked around before facing Fira again. “Well, we have Gwaine training him alongside the servant twins.”
“Mark and Michael?” Fira’s face lit up. “They're going to be so happy!”
Leon and Arthur have quick laughs at her enthusiasm. Arthur reminded her that he had yet to see them in action.
“I’m sure Gwaine will let you know how they do,” Arthur nodded to her. “You're welcome to stay here and watch. Unfortunately it's too dangerous to have you walking around inside the field.”
She smiled and nodded. “I understand.”
Fira ended up leaving the training fields not long after. She decided to take a nap. Rising early had never been her strong suit. When she woke late in the day, it was past dinner. She had not intended to sleep that long. She wandered out into the main room of their chambers.
“Look who’s alive.” Merlin laughed as he took a bite of stew.
“I could say the same about you,” she teased. “Not knocked around too much I hope?”
“No, Arthur had me running errands more than anything else today.” He handed her a bowl of food as she sat down. Then he lowered his voice. “Mordred seems to be getting along well with certain people.”
Fira blushed for Mordred’s sake and laughed. “You mean Kara? I spoke to him about her. She was a druid as well who lost her clan and came to Camelot when Arthur lifted the ban on druids.”
“They're getting quite close.” Merlin smirked as she continued to giggle.
“Can you blame him? They used to be lovers before he left for Somerset.” She sighed romantically. “Now they're back together.”
“I don't know. A servant and a knight?” Merlin frowned. “This won't end well.”
Fira objected immediately. “I'm courting Galahad. He is a knight, you might recall.”
“Fair enough. But you're not really a servant. You just live in the palace. You don't serve Gaius. You work with him.” Merlin spoke as he filled his water cup again from the boiled and chilled water. He walked back over to the table and slid into a seat. “Besides, I'm sure you realize there are more complicated matters.”
Fira folded her arms and spoke quietly. “She hasn't used her magic that I'm aware of.” She looked at Merlin critically, disgust on her face. “Will you ever stop distrusting Mordred? It's been six months, Merlin. Six months. He hasn't been anything but cordial to you.”
Merlin sighed and put his head in his hands for a moment. When he looked at her again, he saw her face softened in regret of her words. “I just don't want to see everything we’ve worked for fall.”
“It won't.”