Garden Walk (Uther, open)

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther made his way slowly out into the courtyard, and found himself having to admit that he enjoyed the fresh air and warm sun shining down on him. However, it wasn't nearly as inviting to him as it had once been. He wasn't yet up to getting himself back in shape, but he needed to start moving around, according to Gaius. He did agree that he felt stiff and tired, and he knew that lying and sitting so much meant that when he did get up, he felt weak and tired.

He could make out some damage that still remained to the exterior of the castle, but the workmen were quickly restoring things to normal. The visible scars would soon be only a memory. It was the invisible ones that troubled the king. Nothing would be the same now. Morgana could never be welcomed back here. Uther had even ordered the things in her chamber packed away so that he wouldn't be reminded as he walked past.

He was being increasingly pressured-more and more whispers were making the rounds that he should abdicate and make Arthur the king formally. Uther hated the thought of spending whatever time he had left a useless has-been with no real power-but deep inside, he wondered....how long could he keep going as king? What was his future going to be like? Morgana would not stop trying to kill him, and that saddened him the most.

[Deleted]

Lancelot made his way out through the courtyard. He head taken lodgings at Inn in the Lower Town, since he wasn't sure how welcome his presence would be on the castle grounds. He, of course, had been knighted by Arthur, but he still had no idea how that was going to be received by the other Knights of Camelot, as well as King Uther himself. Percival tuck close to him often, but Percival as one of the other new Knights of Camelot, saw his allegiance to Arthur and not to his friend, Lancelot.

In fact, now, he often found himself wandering about the Lower Town, alone. He did make sure, though, that he made himself available, if he would be needed, within the castle proper. He had no desire to make a habit of running across Gwen, so he generally stayed out of the castle, and spent time in the courtyard, or the grounds beyond. He found, though, right now Knights were not of prime importance, but tradesman and workmen were. The task of rebuilding those parts of Camelot that had been damaged in the recent fighting, obviously, had taken priority.

As he watched the tradesmen go about their work, which he had a particularly good vantage point on this day, he saw what appeared to be a familiar figure just ahead. The person looked a bit older and more stooped than his most recent memory of him, but it was most definitely King Uther. Lancelot had been in a different part of the castle than the others had been who had rescued the King directly, so this was the first time he had been this close to the King since Lancelot had expelled himself after he had killed the Gryffon. He figured there was no way to avoid him, being this close,so Lancelot approached the King from behind and spoke, "Good morning your Highness. It is good to see that the workmen are making such steady progress, is it not?"

[Uther ..... if you had somebody else in mind just let me know and I'll delete this reply]

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther still had mixed feelings about the new knights. He couldn't ignore the fact that they were not of noble birth, and that Arthur had gone against the kingdom's laws about knighthood. But at the same time, arguing it would only make Arthur angrier at him than he already was. For now, while he was still regaining his strength, he would live with what was done, and keep a close eye on the new knights. It was actually Gwaine who caused the most arguments, spending too much time at the tavern. Lancelot's deception two years ago wasn't forgotten, but at least he followed orders and behaved. Uther indicated to the guards not to be alarmed and nodded his head.

"Yes, it quite is. Camelot has always been very resilient and this time is no different. Our enemies will not destroy us so easily."

[Deleted]

Lancelot knew that Arthur had felt forced to take on the reins of being King or at least being a strong Regent for the King. However, he had not spoken to the Crown Prince specifically about this, or about anything, really. So Lancelot had not known what exactly to expect when he came upon him. He did know that there last direct meeting, when he had returned from defeating the Gryffon, had not been a particularly warm one. In fact, Lancelot imagined at the time, he was the last person the King had wanted to see, and that he had become a wedge between Prince and King. It had ended, though, as well as it could have. He had surprised the King, favorably, when he had volunteered to remove himself.

He had thought, at the time, that he had seen a small glimmer of respect in the King's eyes for volunteering to remove himself. Perhaps the king had known, he thought, that he would never be found worthy, and would likely never return. Therefore, this moment. of Lancelot being a Knight, was probably not something that Uther had imagined in his worst nightmares. Lancelot also imagined that if King Uther ever regained his full authority that the stripping of his knighthood would be one of his first acts. This made this first meeting between the two men, important. Perhaps Lancelot's preoccupation with these thoughts had allowed him to ignore the presence of Uther's guards. In any case he was relieved when Uther allowed him to complete his approach.

Lancelot nodded at his words in acceptance and agreement, and then he nodded deeply in deference to the King. "I thank you,your Highness, to allow me to approach and to speak with you. No doubt, that strength and resilience is due to your efforts across the last twenty years, as well as training the Crown Prince for the mantle of leadership. I know also,my King, that given the circumstances of your dismissal of me as Knight, I am the last person that you would judge as worthy to be here now, dressed as one of the Knights.

I know not what your present opinion of me is, I can only imagine, but know this .... that I only seek to serve Camelot and your Son. I have no other agenda, and as in the last time, if I find that my presence is not in his best interest, I will depart, as I did before. I only seek that we do our best to make this work, in the present. I think that, although conditions are improving, we will all have to work together, for Camelot to survive and thrive. Although you may still judge me to be unworthy of the position I have been placed in, that you will overlook my deficiencies for the time being at least ..... my Lord," he said, dipping his head once more.

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther was not a man who could easily look past deceptions like the ones Lancelot was guilty of. He perceived commoners as being less likely to uphold the codes nobility lived by, and always expected trouble from the men Arthur had knighted. He did, however, have to admit that Lancelot and Percival and Elyan were doing well so far. Gwaine had potential, but Arthur had to make him stop his constant drinking.

Uther was accepting of Lancelot's deference and submissive posture-one could never be certain, but it appeared he wasn't intending any harm. Uther did listen as he talked.

"I cannot forget what has happened in the past and I cannot fully agree with Arthur, but nor will your actions be forgotten. I shall not take any harsh actions right now, it is not the time. Camelot, does, indeed, need a focus of rebuilding and recovery. But a constant watch is kept, both by Arthur and I. No unbecoming behavior will be tolerated. You speak well thus far, however. Let us hope your actions follow suit."

[Deleted]

Lancelot understood that the Code had been important to King Uther. He remembered back to a discussion that he had had with Gaius, the Court Physician, the day after he had rescued Merlin from the Gryffon in the forest. Lancelot had just got done telling Merlin about his great dream of becoming a Knight of Camelot. Upon hearing this, Gaius had told Lancelot that only nobles could become Knights, and that Uther had set up this system, so that his Knights would come from trusted families. It had crushed Lancelot at the time, that is, until it seemed that Merlin had figured a way around this requirement.

Lancelot understood that it was not just the violation of this rule that bothered the King, but that it had been violated in such a way that it made Uther look to be a fool. He had hoped that by showing due deference that would be expected of true Knight that he might be accepted. He was unsure of what King Uther's true opinion of him was, although he knew that Prince Arthur trusted him enough to knight him, but Lancelot did not know if that was going to be enough in the long run. It appeared, at least for now, that Uther was not going to change things, but who knew how long that would last. And that uncertainty was borne out by the King's words.

As Lancelot listened to his words he wondered if the King was expecting that Arthur would forget their past as well. "It would depend, I would guess, my King, what past that you are not willing to forget. Is it the past where I broke the Code, or killed the Gryffon, of fought by your son's side. I imagine that the one that you can't forget is the violation of the Code. I do not expect you to forget, or, I suppose, even to forgive. I thank you for not taking any action at the present. Understand that the service I give is that I have always considered it my duty to act like a Knight of Camelot, even when I lost the right to hold the title.

I serve Camelot, I serve the Pendragons, I serve Arthur. If I would ever taken an action that would dishonor the Knights or the Pendragons, I would be the first to relinquish my knighthood. It would be my hope that my actions have spoken already, even though I sense that when you are fully carrying out your duties again that you expect to take some actions with regard to the new Knights. Would that be accurate, my Lord," he said dipping his head once more.

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther was certain Lancelot knew what he meant, but at the same time, he was aware that there was more than just the deception in the past-there was the protection of the kingdom and the saving of Arthur's life as well. That was what rendered this instance more complicated than it once was. Although the king was sure he'd been understood, he clarified anyway.

"The code, obviously. You did serve Camelot well during the griffin attack and during the recent events, however. Even though you had no right to hold the title, you acted as well as those who hold it legitimately, that is not disputed. As long as no more of the code is broken, no action will be taken."

Uther felt like arguing his point with Arthur, but he did not feel like pushing the prince further away from him, so he felt he could not provoke Arthur now by challenging him. Things might still change once he was back in full control of the kingdom, but he would have to bide his time for the moment, he felt.

[Deleted]

Lancelot determined that this was not the time or place to take a strong verbal stand, especially with the man who might determine his future as a Knight sometime in the future. It was a time to stand there,quietly, and listen to Uther's reaction to what he had said. He quite imagined that Uther believed that Knights, especially Knights made from commoners, should be seen and not heard. So he stood there patiently, waiting on the King's pleasure.

Lancelot believed that his betrayal of the Code was what Uther focused on, but he he was quite willing to listen to the monarch. Yes, as expected, it was clear that his unfitness under the Code is what the King focused on. However, somewhat surprisingly, he had taken his actions after being stripped of his knighthood into account as well. "That is quite open-minded of you .... my king. Thank you .... you could give .... and I would expect ..... no higher compliment. I will try to never give you,or your son, to doubt my allegiance, or my devotion to my duty as a Knight."

Lancelot had not expected the King to be quite so .... reasonable. He wondered if it was a sign of how the King really felt, or if he was just trying to make things as friction-free as he could for now. Only time would tell the tale, he realized. He also understood that outside of doing his duty he would have no control over his future. He simply had to do the best he could, stay out of trouble, and hopefully show that he had some worth to the Pendragons that he would currently serve. He had a strong feeling that his stay here could be a very temporary one, and he had to be prepared for a sudden change,since he could be relieved of his position at any time.

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther was still feeling like prodding Lancelot a little. He still questioned his integrity and hoped he wouldn't suddenly turn against Camelot, since he'd deceived the kingdom so easily once already. His other actions did amount to a lot, but he also did not think he could ever fully trust a man who had done something like that. It gnawed at him and left him perpetually uneasy.

"I choose not to anger Arthur at this point by attempting to drive you out. The kingdom does not need its rulers battling each other when it is trying to rebuild. I make no promises, however, about what may happen when I am able to regain my full power as king. I do intend to return to full duties once my health is recovered."he said."I will not forget your actions in saving the kingdom, that is certain. But I can never forget treachery either. When someone deceives me in such a way, I cannot forget."

[Deleted]

Lancelot ..... now Sir Lancelot .... had been happy to receive the message from Merlin, asking him to come to Arthur's aid. It was an additional pleasure to bring along someone of Percival's strength and skill. However, he had never had the expectation that he would be Knighted by Arthur. First, though, they had to survive the battle, win it, and free the king.

The question that they all had had, except for Sir Leon, of course, was how the king would react to the news. It was an initial surprise that the king was in no condition to carry out his duties, so Arthur had to act in his stead as king, and none of the Prince's actions were questioned. However, his Knighting of a group of commoners, given the King's attitude about the Code, and Lancelot's violation of it, it had been a surprise that Uther had not objected or reversed Arthur's decree.

So, as Sir Lancelot had approached Uther, it had been a pleasant surprise that he had indicated that he was not opposing Arthur's actions, and in fact, was recognizing the good works that Lancelot had done. However, he saw what seemed to be a strange, un-trusting, and unfriendly expression on the king's face. In moments it was confirmed by Uther's words.

Lancelot is shocked at his words. "My sovereign," he bowed, though now seething with anger and confusion. "Surely you realize that this will cause a division between you and your son, no matter when you do it. Wouldn't it make sense to let it go for the sake of peace in your kingdom .... for its survival."

"Obviously you cannot either forgive or forget, no matter what actions that I have taken for your kingdom. You assume that Arthur and his new Knights will go quietly. Is it worth jeopardizing your kingdom, I wonder," he said, staring directly into the king's eyes with his piecing pale blue ones. "Such an act by you we would never forget either, and I daresay, neither would your son." Sir Lancelot stepped back from the King, watching him, wondering how he would respond to these words.

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther had fairly well expected such a reaction. It was not that he did not value Lancelot's help, it was simply the kind of man the king was. He trusted few people as it was, and deception like Lancelot's made it hard to ever completely trust such a person. In Uther's mind, someone who acted in such a way once could easily turn on his sovereign again.

The king knew the truth of Lancelot's warning about Arthur. He knew that his son would have to respect his word once he was fully king again, but he also did fear driving Arthur away. He was uncertain if the prince would leave over anything else as he had threatened with the servant girl, but nothing was certain right now.

"For now, I shall act based on what I see. I am aware that Arthur is acting as the king right now. I will simply say that all of you are being closely watched. If I must act, I will do what is necessary for the kingdom, even if it angers Arthur. But if it does not occur, I will try to let rebuilding go as smoothly as possible."[//color]

[Deleted]

Lancelot knew that he should not be surprised at such statements coming from the King, from past experience. He also knew that the King had not yet recovered fully physically and perhaps more important, mentally, from the experiences that his ward ... daughter ... and Morgause had put him through. However, Sir Lancelot did not think this explained the statement he had just made.

Despite what he had gone through, and giving that as an explanation, Lancelot felt that these were the King's real views, and not a consequence of his recent trauma. He was not sure if the King did not trust him and therefore didn't like him, or if it was the reverse. The point was that he didn't trust him, and that he never would. He imagined that, outside of family, there were no second chances given in Uther Pendragon's world.

The King was no fool, Lancelot thought. He had to understand what the new Knights had done, both to assist Arthur and to free the King, himself. He also had to know that the odds had been stacked heavily against them with it likely that none would survive. Even King Uther would have to recognize that only friends and Knights of the highest order, with the greatest loyalty, would have agreed to such a task. However, Uther was no ordinary King, Lancelot had to remind himself.

Lancelot's train of thought was broken once more as the King offered a spoken response once more. "And what great King of Camelot do you see? Yes, Arthur as King is the reality .... for the moment." Watched .... Lancelot smiled .... spied upon was more like it. "So .... you are saying that it is you who are allowing Arthur to act as King, and not Arthur taking the reins, out of necessity, then."

Lancelot pondered what he had said carefully, before saying even more. "Interesting. It is reassuring that you are willing to let the rebuilding of Camelot go forward in peace. However, it does make one wonder what you would take as proper grounds for you to act against the rule of your own son. Even if that action would anger him enough to split the kingdom that you took such pains to create and maintain. One might wonder if it would be worth risking all that you had built," Lancelot said as he stood there in the Garden, now with his arms crossed.

[kinguthersqueen]

"It is both. Camelot needs a strong ruler while I recover, but I allow it because I know that it is best for the moment."
Uther replied.

About the other, the king was caught, realizing that Lancelot had a point even though he wasn't keen to admit it. He did not want to be thought of as weak or powerless; he wanted to be able to assert himself and make decisions for what he still considered his kingdom. But, he knew that it was going to have to be done carefully. Uther knew he could easily just say that he was deciding and the matter was closed, but then Arthur would get angry. He wondered...would the prince really leave? Or had that simply been the magic he'd been affected by? He hated how the things that had happened had altered his relationship with Arthur probably forever.

He did not verbalize his conflict, but it was evident in his eyes as he spoke again.

"I do not wish to discuss it further. It is obvious that there is much to be considered. The situation is very complex now, and I must think on it."

This was also Uther's way of trying to draw the talk to a close without yelling and getting Arthur annoyed. He would if this failed, he wanted to yell, wanted to show his anger, but he sensed it wasn't wise. If he could stop the talk simply in this manner, it would be preferable.

[Deleted]

So .... Arthur is king out of the benevolence of his father, and nothing more. Lancelot thought not. While he was faithful to the House of Pendragon, it was to Arthur that his allegiance flowed through. "That is true wisdom, King Uther," Lancelot said without betraying any of his true feelings.

However, Lancelot was now a Knight of Camelot. If Uther was recognized by the Council wouldn't he be obliged and honor-bound to follow the directives of King Uther. It was all so confusing. How would the older Knights of Camelot react, as well as the newer ones? Would Arthur accede to his father's demand just to avoid conflict, or would he make a stand, and who would stand with him. It would be so much easier if Uther, as a first act, would dismiss all of the new non-noble Knights. There would be nothing to prevent them from siding with Arthur. Or would Uther try to force them to remain loyal by not dismissing them? The only certainty would be that it would not be an easy time.

"As you wish, King Uther. As a Knights of Camelot, of course,we are all bound to recognize, respect, and obey whoever is King." Lancelot, understanding that Uther could not have been much more direct in ending the conversation gave Uther a deferential nod, backed away respectfully,and turned on his heel, and went on his way, with much to consider.