It truly was a weird sight to behold. Farmers, druids, the rich, the poor – all kinds of people. From the kingdom of Essetir, Nemeth and Caerlon -
They were all visiting the kingdom of Arthur Pendragon: Camelot. This itself was hardly shocking, to be honest. It was the number of people and the wide degree of their status that caught attention.
They all had just a few things in common: they wanted to see Emrys.
They had all heard the stories and they had been so captivating that it caused a movement.
Arthur and his folk were in a slight state of panic.
They had so much to do with taking refugees and trying to find some places for their visitors that nobody noticed the absence of one important member of the council.
And I say council, because it was not a knight, as many of you might have expected. But more about that later.
For those who traveled the streets of Camelot, it truly was a weird sight to behold.
Because it was hard to distinguish who was of which kingdom. The royals had all dressed in red cloaks and fake armor, cosplaying the knights of the round table.
While the poor had resolved to old clothes and decided to go as one particular manservant.
It was some kind of uniform. As today a special event would hold place on one of the biggest fields around the castle. Not that the king knew any of it. Or his servant.
It was even funnier, because literally everyone was invited. Bandits and druids just as much as kings and queens.
And they all came for this one occasion. Only Arthur, Merlin and the knights knew nothing of it.
Only one of them would find out. As he had just had a very pleasant night with a lady far below his status from one of the neighboring kingdoms.
Of course, this time I do speak of Gwaine.
Gwaine has created a legend. However - he never expected it to travel this far.
He never imagined he would create a new religion.
The lady had invited him to come along to this special event. And never had he seen anyone so excited for anything. So he agreed to follow her.
What he saw, when they reached the fields, left him breath- and speechless.
The gathered crowd was so big, they couldn't all just have arrived here. There were people who had made camp a little outside the center. How many days they had been here, nobody really knew. All Gwaine was certain of was that the refugee problem had started a couple of weeks ago.
And yet, it was possible to travel right through them.
In fact – in the center of the crowd, there was a lot of space left, where not a single person stood. Well – maybe that was not entirely correct.
Twelve – precisely twelve men stood or rather vouched there in a circle. One man in a black cloak standing between them, handing out necklaces.
Gwaine couldn't see what the necklaces looked like, but he wasn't really focusing on that either way.
No – it were the men who caught him off guard. All of them were dressed like servants ... Well, many people here were, but these men and women all wore the exact same clothes. And they were very familiar. As they looked just like what Merlin, Arthur's manservant wore.
They all looked comfortable and excited in their position. And their position was quite extraordinary.
To make this image more clear to you: They all were in the stocks.
Gwaine's mouth was wide open at the sight, not sure whether to be scared or amused.
"What the hell are they doing?", Gwaine whispered to the young lady who was hanging from his arm. She wore his red cloak.
But she as well, wore a necklace, much like the ones the men and women in the stocks were just receiving.
Only now did he take a closer look. It was a coin. Not one of metal, as she was poor. But it was made of wood and covered in a silver like substance. Some of the color was already fading, so you could see the wood underneath, but the symbols were carved deep into the wood.
On the one side, he could see the druid symbol. A small, long dragon curved around it.
As Gwaine curiously turned it around, he found the Pendragon crest replicated on it.
"What is this thing?", he finally asked, receiving nothing but a smile.
"This is the coin. You must have heard of the legend of king Arthur and Emrys. They both are – two sides of the same coin. This necklace is a symbol of our faith that one day – magic will be restored in this realm.
Many have believed king Uther – that magic is evil. But we know it isn't.
King Arthur is the great once and future king. And he has been guided by magic. Saved by it, born because of it.
Tonight we plead to the triple goddess that magic will return to us."
Gwaine was left stunned. This woman – she must be crazy or – or demented or something. He! Gwaine! Had made this entire story up! But he couldn't tell her that now, or could he?
Because these people all believed in that. All the people that were surrounding him.
"And – what are these people doing in the stocks?", he asked, clearly confused, as he saw children and men, women and old people come forward with rotten fruits and vegetables and threw them at the people in the stocks.
"It's a ritual. Christians get baptized, we throw rotten food at each other.
It's because the first time a peasant – as Emrys was one when he came to Camelot – had showed that he was equal to the king and disrespected him as such – this was his punishment.
Our priest has told us all about it."
Now, Gwaine looked to the man in black robes who had just stepped out the circle. Reading some kind of gospel. It was a leather bound book in red and black.
Gwaine felt his face muscles tighten as he recognized that book. And eventually the figure with it in hand.
"Please give me a second, my love.", he said and turned away from the curious woman, just to stalk forward to approach the priest.
"Where on earth did you get that book?", he asked, forcefully turning the man around. Because this book, this gospel, was the legend of Arthur and Emrys and it was written by Gwaine himself.
But all hate and confusion was suddenly gone, when he saw that face.
"Agravaine?"
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Ah yes, and here is where it gets complicated. You see, we have unconsciously switched the timelines a bit. Which occurrences belong to this one, which to another, how many even exist in the first place? When are we? I can no longer say.
However, I can tell you the story of Agravaine in this one. As you all know perfectly well, Agravaine is Arthur's personal advisor, leading him to many misjudgments and selfdoubt. As he is originally a spy for Morgana.
And he is doing his very best to make sure Arthur fails in his role to become the greatest king Camelot has ever seen.
You think his little priest act is ironic? Well, you are right. But in hindsight it was all Morgana's fault for contradicting herself so much.
Let's look at how all of this began:
_______________________
"Arthur, we need to talk!", Agravaine was mad. Very mad. Outraged even, as he slammed a stack of papers on Arthur's desk.
"What is this?!", he asked, demanding an answer from the king. Who just looked at the papers unimpressed. The were in the hall of the council meeting. One had just ended, and Arthur was waiting for the old people to leave, before he himself would stand up as well.
Just in case, one of them wanted to talk to him about what had been discussed earlier. Which Agravaine was doing right now.
"This are the sentences spoken to the latest criminals.", Arthur shrugged, looking up at his uncle, waiting for something.
"Yes, and ALL of them were here for sorcery! And you have not consulted me in your decision?
You have let ALL of them go! Your kingdom is weak already. If people find out you refuse to carry out sentences -", Agravaine took a breath, giving Arthur the chance to interrupt him.
"These people were told to have healed people. To help grow the plants of the land.
I fail to see how that was evil?", Arthur asked, irritated at Agravaines outburst.
"They were sorcerers!", Agravaine hissed. "Magic is outlawed!"
"And yet I fail to see how their actions justify such a law.", Arthur carefully explained.
"Your father knew -"
"My father is not here. I am your king, now, Agravaine. And I will not have people hanged for helping the people of this kingdom. You are dismissed."
"But-"
"I said you are dismissed.", Arthur's tone was final.
__________________
Of course, Agravaine consulted his queen of many things. However, this one occurrence was nothing he deemed important enough to tell her.
He knew, she would only be mad. As Arthur wasn't supposed to act like a good king. Which was why he was trying to keep Arthur from such decisions.
The deep and dark night hang above the forest. The stars shone a mysterious blue light on the trees and branches, the fallen leafs the hut in which Morgana lived.
"I cannot wait much longer, Agravaine. I want my throne – and I want it now!", she hissed, throwing her arms around.
Her voice was filled with anger and greed. The kind and forgiving and generous soul she once had, corrupted by her hate for Uther, and her cruel lessons from Morgouse.
She was just as beautiful as always, though. As danger often was. Maybe even more beautiful than before.
"Yes, milady. I know, but you need patience. The people would not just accept you as their queen."
"They will. They all will.", she said, a glint in her eyes, as she stared at the wall of her hut without blinking.
"Yes, yes ... of course they will. But for now, they see you as a threat. They think magic is evil after all. They don't know you. They don't know the real you.", he said with conviction.
"That will change, when I have taken the throne. People will see that magic is not evil. Uther was. He and Arthur are what threatens the return of magic to this land.
Only I can bring back the old religion.", she laughed, manically.
"The kingdom would be much better of with you as their leader.", he said and Morgana smiled.
"Of course it will. I will bring magic back to Camelot. That is my very first priority. I don't care how, I don't care about if Arthur lives or not – Magic WILL be back in Camelot. Whatever the cost."
And you see, here is where the fact that Agravaine feared to speak his mind defined his doom.
Because what Morgana said here, contradicted his very own actions from the day before.
He had ridiculed Arthur of freeing sorcerers, and here was his queen saying that all she cared about was bring magic back to this kingdom.
And that's when he decided that, if this was her very first priority, as she had claimed it to be, he would have to support everyone who wanted magic back in the kingdom.
Not Arthur of course. The people were supposed to want Morgana on the throne.
When the people supported magic, and Arthur did not, they would start supporting Morgana of their own free will.
Asking and rebelling to get her on the throne.
In the darkest night, Agravaine sneaked through the castle, and stole the Gospel.
He knew of Gwaine's little hobby. He had not been able to read the word yet, however, now he had the chance.
And so, Agravaine used this Gospel to spread his very own version of what had happened with Emrys.
He told the folks people about a king who despised and outlawed magic and his son, who supported these claims. He told them of the good Morgana and how she had always defended the town in need.
He told them of the many executions ... not knowing that the people whom he told these stories had already heard all of this – and more.
Word spread about a man who was reading the word of the triple goddess.
They believed this was Morgana before she turned evil. And that she had good reason to be. But they all believed Emrys had been right to poison her. They altered the stories themselves. Because Emrys was good.
This was one of the basics of this story. A ground rule. A fix point. Gwaine had made that clear.
Agravaine knew nothing of how far the word of Gwaine had spread oh so long ago already.
He knew nothing of it. He thought all the rumors he heard in the tavern were his own work. Never once did he think Gwaine's work was stronger than his own.
Agravaine's self confidence was what blinded him.
He made it a religion. Telling people magic would come back to this land.
And they believed him. But they thought he meant Emrys. Not Morgana. He became their priest. He cabbaged them in the stocks and gave them the necklaces.
On one side was the symbol of the druids, who were aligned with Morgana, the other bore the Pendragon crest. But not in gold, like Arthur. But Silver, for Morgana Pendragon.
Agravaine was a fool.
His work allied the five kingdoms, not just between kings, but for the people as well. His work made magic popular once more. He helped take the fear of people's mind.
And he helped people support Arthur. Swear their loyalty on him and Emrys.
However, when Gwaine reported his findings back to Arthur, Agravaine was immediately dismissed as his personal advisor. As he had spread the rumors Gwaine had come up with. And greatly contradicted himself, when he was advising Arthur against magic, but uniting the lands to bring it back.
He had caused an uproar against the ban on magic.
And since Arthur listened to his folk. Their needs and their wishes and he wanted to keep peace between the lands of Albion, he had no choice but to lift the ban on magic.
However, Arthur had a few problems with that:
"I can't just lift the ban on magic and invite sorcerers into this kingdom!", Arthur debated with Gwaine.
"YOU made all of that up! I was with you when you did! This game has gotten way too far! I don't know what Agravaine was trying to achieve with this, but when the ban is lifted, all kind of sorcerers will be back in Camelot.
You know how dangerous that is!"
"Maybe you just need a court sorcerer? One whom you trust?"
Arthur laughed, shaking his head in disapproval.
"I can't just get a court sorcerer! And a sorcerer whom I would trust? How rare is that?"
"Not to mention that they are all expecting you to make a certain someone your court sorcerer.", Gwaine mumbled, causing Arthur to stop his pacing.
"Are you kidding me!", Arthur stared at him and his face stated exactly what he had just said.
"What? They believe Emrys is at your side. The strongest sorcerer to ever have lived. You can't just take a random sorcerer and make him your advisor. It HAS to be him. They expect that of you."
"But Merlin is no sorcerer!"
"Yeah, but they don't know that.", Gwaine barely managed to contain his laughter now.
"You've got to be kidding.", Arthur facepalmed.
"What if we get attacked?". Arthur complained, throwing his arms up, trying to fight his urge to just punch a wall.
"You remember Lord Hemming or whoever that guy was? Merlin's reputation will definitely protect us."
Arthur was whining now, taking deep breaths to calm himself.
"MERLIN!", Arthur shouted.
Mere seconds later, Merlin stormed in. He had been standing in front of the door, as he was not allowed to listen in on their latest conversation. And Arthur had asked him to wait outside.
"Yes, Sire?", he asked, glancing between Arthur and Gwaine. Not expecting to find Arthur looking as though he regretted all of his life decisions, while Gwaine did as if this was the best day of his life.
"...."
"You want me to be your WHAT now?"