Burns Too Bright, Lives Too Fast

If the taxes hadn't brought the mood down in Camelot, then the former Crown Prince's overpowering brood certainly did. Not that Uther noticed any of this: he had ordered a banquet for the evening, to celebrate the Lady Catrina's new title, and he was generally in a splendid mood.

Arthur was caught staring moodily through windows rather a lot.

As for Merlin, well... he had someone to visit.

The guards of Camelot were up well and early tonight. This, as became immediately apparent to the villagers, would not be one of the peaceful days.

"Search the stables!" Arthur bellowed, stomping across the roads within the city walls as if he owned the place, which technically, it did. "You, check the kitchens. And you, go see about the guards above the South Gate!"

Homes were rifled through, shops were poked at, people were questioned. And all barely after the first rooster had crowed, at that. Whatever was happening, it was obviously big.

[[ the below contains spoilers for Merlin episodes 2x05 and 2x06 ]]

Within the throne room, for breakfast, Catrina gave King Uther a gift. A necklace, with a heavy amulet, that she promised him was from her father. (It wasn't.) A token of her love, she had said.

On the other side of the castle, Arthur didn't have the foggiest clue. He was busy getting dressed.

The day ahead would be... different.

It had been several days' walk getting here, with precious little chance to get anywhere near where anyone held horses. And Arthur hadn't had too much coin on him regardless - the villagers might have lended him a horse based by his identity alone if he'd gotten close enough, but he had mixed feelings about taking from the poorer towns along the road to the castle.

What he also held mixed feelings about were the darkening clouds that seemed to gain in number the closer they got. The euphoria of being home was starting to eb away slowly under the tide of concern for the castle and the vague worries about their ability to ever contact Fandom again - although the first was, as always, of greater priority to Arthur.

By the time Camelot's spires became visible, jutting proudly up out of the countryside, the sky had gotten black enough to go for night. It was enough to somewhat dampen the release of homesickness; Arthur's heart seemed to beat faster at the same time his stomach contracted. Anxiety, not an illness he should fall to.

Concern, instead.

And battle-readiness, as the three of them approached the gates and found what laid beyond them to be mostly silent and strewn with rubble-- the same scene as most of the lower town.

At least until Arthur listened closer, and could hear the yelling of knights in the distance.

[[ ocd up! for those who be there! ]]