Fira paced in the throne room belonging to Morgana. The woman in question sat upon her throne, Aithusa her dragon sitting at her feet. Lancelot stood nearby, arms crossed.

“My lady, I think more would be accomplished now by kidnapping the Once and Future Queen.” Fira stopped her pacing and looked to the sorceress. “They will likely figure out she was enchanted. That means they'll want to rescue her.”

“And lead Arthur right to our door,” Morgana grinned maniacally. “Yes, I agree with you. Lancelot, you will lead fifty men to stage the kidnapping.”

“Yes, my lady.” Lancelot stood, shifting his weight to his other leg and crossing his arms. “Somehow it feels only natural.”

“Nyx and my priests will perform a spell to send you to Camelot City itself.” Morgana nodded to herself and then smiled. “Aithusa, you shall go as well. We will distract the guards by sending a dragon.”

The dragon lifted her head and let out a small noise. Morgana, resting a hand on her friend’s head, smiled warmly. The only time Fira knew Morgana to get emotional and comforting was around the magical oversized lizard. Personally, Fira found Aithusa less than a commanding presence.

“Nyx, find Darian at the balcony and begin preparations for the spell.” Morgana ordered her enslaved apprentice around like it was already second nature.

Fira bowed to Morgana. She left by way of a right-hand door. The corridor it opened into remained well lit despite the lack of windows. Candles lined the walls. She reached the very end door, opened it, and stepped out into an extremely large, circular balcony.

A man robed in browns and whites stood at the far end of the balcony, leaning against the wrought-iron rails. Fira approached him silently, but he recognized her by her power.

“Ah, Nyx.” He turned and beckoned to her. “It is good to finally meet you in person.”

“Darian,” Fira murmured with a nod. “You brought me here.”

He smiled and nodded back. “Indeed I did. What a privilege that was, might I tell you. Getting to help the Lady of Legend achieve her destiny.”

Fira shifted uncomfortably. Something felt off when others spoke of destiny, as if she and destiny were old friends who had a falling out. She couldn't explain it.

“Lady Morgana wishes us to prepare with the others a spell to transport fifty-one men to Camelot City.”

“Really?” Darian raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I do not know if even combining all our power could do such a thing.”

Fira shrugged. “We must.”

-*-

Gwaine downed his third drink that hour with a flashy swing of his arm. Beside him, Gaheris took a drink of his own mead casually. Gareth and Galahad soon joined them with pints of their own.

The Rising Sun remained quiet that evening, much to the knights’ surprise. Leon and Percival joined the four men not long after, with Tristan and Bedivere filing in later. A steady hum filled the tavern, and the crackling fire sent tendrils of light flying along walls and the floor.

“You all look about as depressed as I feel,” muttered Sir Bedivere as he took a seat from a nearby table and pulled it in next to Tristan and Elyan. “I can't believe Queen Guinevere betrayed us.”

Leon agreed, playing with his cup distractedly. “The fact remains that she is a traitor during wartime. For that there is but one punishment.”

“Sir Elyan has been shut in his room since the pronouncement yesterday.” Gareth frowned sadly.

With a nod, Gaheris took a sip and then slammed his drink down. “You should've seen Lamorak and Philip. Murdered, because of her. Because she ran her mouth at the wrong time.” He paused and frowned. “Still, I feel for Elyan and for Arthur. It is not easy to lose a loved one. I do not envy the King.”

Gwaine, uncharacteristically quiet, got up and walked to the bar. He took out several pence and slid it across the countertop to the barmaid. “Two more pints of mead.”

“We'll get her back, right?” Galahad came up behind him and spoke quietly. “That's part of the war effort now? Retrieving Fira?”

Gwaine sighed and turned to look at Sir Galahad sadly. “If it were up to me, she'd be here already. Trust me, if we’re given the chance, we'll get her back.” He handed Galahad a couple pence. “Another drink on me.”

Gratefully he took the money and got a mug of wine. Fira’s favorite. He joined Gwaine back at the table. Together they clinked drinks and took sips of their alcohol as one.

“The King is having me and Gareth escort the Queen to the gallows,” Gaheris told his brother.

Gwaine looked at him curiously. “Did you volunteer?”

“To escort the Queen to her death?” Gaheris looked disgusted. “Even after what I saw with Lamorak and Philip, no. But I didn't refuse.”

Tristan leaned closer to Leon. “So, what are these rumors I hear about our missing physician’s assistant?” He quieted down so only Leon could hear. “Is she really alive?”

“That's classified information, Tristan.” Leon looked at him hard. “How did you hear about it?”

Tristan shrugged. “Merlin and Gaius. I went to them for help with a headache and they talked about it thinking I couldn't hear. I'm not that stupid.”

Leon rolled his eyes. “Sometimes we forget.”

“Hey!”

“Yes, we think she is alive. Morgana has a way of controlling her actions right now.” Leon frowned at his mug of half-drunk mead. “We have no idea how to separate her from the control though.”

Galahad hissed in anger. “We aren't giving up.”

Leon nodded to him in agreement. “I never said we were.”

“She'd never give up on us,” Percival agreed. “I don't intend to do anything else for her.”

Inside the citadel proper, Merlin sat on his bed reading the book about Heart Stones. It wasn’t looking good for Fira. He flipped a page and took a bite of an apple, trying not to stress out but failing miserably. The control of a Heart Stone could only be ended with either the death of the caster, the death of the victim, or the separation of the stone of the person’s body. Even then, it almost always ended in the death of the victim.

“Merlin, you need to sleep,” Gaius said with a frown, opening the door to Merlin’s room and peeking in.

The warlock sighed. “I can't. Between Gwen and Lancelot and Fira… I don't know what to do anymore.” He shook his head. “The future of Albion is hanging in the balance. I can feel it.”

“Has Kilgharrah helped at all?” Gaius wondered.

“Everything he says now is cryptic and hard to decipher.” Merlin slammed the spell book closed. “He told me that the day of reckoning is almost here. Whatever that means.”

Gaius nodded in understanding. “Get some rest, my dear boy. The gods know you need it.”