The Once and Future Queen || Arthur Pendragon

xiii

Kara stood slumped against a pillar next to Merlin inside the council chambers as they listened as the farmer Joseph spoke to to the King about a problem that had arisen within the kingdom. She was trying her best not to yawn. She was extremely tired after a troubled night's sleep but there was no rest for a servant unfortunately. Her dreams had been plagued with ill omens, leaving a scream lodged in her throat every time she woke up. Kara wasn't entirely sure what it all meant, she couldn't remember much if the dreams, just the strong sense of foreboding that came with them.

"I'm a herder from the northern plains, Sire. Three nights back, we were camped beneath the walls of Idirsholas," Joseph explained, shifting on his feet, clearly uncomfortable under the gaze of the court. His hair was a messy brown, his clothes were ragged and limp over his body clearly too big and layers of dirt was caked under his fingernails. He was a laborer, someone who worked with his hands day and night. It was unsurprisingly he would feel so uncomfortable in front of the nobility that surrounded him.

"I'm not sure I would've chosen such a place," Uther said, shooting the man with a look of incredulity. Kara curiously wondered why he looked at the farmer as if he was a fool. She had never heard of Idirsholas, but surely they were nothing more than some harmless old ruins.

Joseph bristled slightly at the king's words and quickly defended his actions, "Good pasture is scarce at this time of year, Sire."

"And what is it you have to tell me?" Uther urged, not at all concerned by the lack of farming in the kingdom. Kara rolled her eyes at his impatience, perhaps if he was a better king than his subjects would be more willing to hand over valuable information.

"While we were there we, we saw smoke rising from the citadel," He explained. Uther's eyes widened, and immediately snapped to Gaius's. The physician had furrowed his eyebrows at the farmer's word, and looked quite alarmed himself as he stepped towards Joseph questioningly.

"And did you see anything else?"

'No."

"Did you go inside?" Uther demanded.

Joseph shook his head frantically, "No. Nobody has stepped over that threshold for 300 years." Kara's own eyes widened at the new piece of information, before confusion flickered in them. If no one had been in the citadel for 300 years, how could Joseph have seen smoke? "You must know the legend, Sire," Joseph continued.

"When the fires of Idirsholas burn, the Knights of Medhir will ride again," Gaius retold the legend with a grave edge to his tone.

"See to it this man is fed and has a bed for the night," Uther ordered, and Joseph is led away by one of the knights. Then he turned to Arthur and said, "Take a ride out there."

"Why?" Arthur asked, clearly not seeing the point in it.

"So, we can put people's minds at rest."

"Surely this is superstitious nonsense?"

"Gather the guard and do as I say," Uther ordered firmly and Arthur finally nodded, though still in reluctance, before he left the council chambers to make preparations for the journey. The remaining council was dismissed a moment later.

"Why is Uther so worried?" Merlin wondered curiously as he, Kara and Gaius entered the physician chambers after the meeting in the council chamber. He had beaten her to the punch, but Kara still sat down at the table and awaited eagerly for some answers.

"Because the Knights of Medhir are a force to be reckoned with," Gaius declared gravely, as he took a spot in front of her.

Merlin quickly came to join them at the table as Kara asked, "Do you believe the story as well Gaius?"