Gwaine (Merlin 3)

Chapter 4

Accusations

Gwaine was pushed roughly to his knees in front of the king, his hands bound together in front of him. Leon was clearly still undecided over whether Kiara would have been capable of attacking a knight, so he guided her into the council chambers with only a light hand on the small of her back. Merlin had picked up Gaius on the way there, and the two of them were anxiously glancing at Kiara from the back of the room.

“Sire, this man attacked me, with a sword. Tried to kill me,” Oswald exaggerated, “So did this girl.”

“Is this true?” the King asked, turning his attention to Gwaine on the floor. He didn’t even bother lifting his eyes as he spoke.

“I stepped in to try and protect Merlin.” Gwaine answered truthfully.

“And you, Gaius’ apprentice?” the king turned his gaze onto her.

Kiara met the stare of the man who was responsible for killing her family members, destroying her home, and ruining her life. With concealed hatred, she arranged her features to the innocently detached expression she had long ago perfected. “Absolutely not true at all, sire.” She lied confidently, standing tall.

“She is lying!” Oswald exclaimed, obviously surprised at Kiara’s nerve.

All eyes returned to the young woman’s face, and it was Arthur that next spoke. “Father, I believe it to be unlikely that Kiara did attack Sir Oswald.” He answered, and she had to hide her surprise. The prince was sticking up for her? They hardly got along very well. “I have seen no evidence whatsoever that she possess any kind of fighting ability. I’m unsure she even knows how to correctly hold a sword.” He added, his eyes flashing over to her. Of course Arthur would use the opportunity to insult her, but if it meant she could keep her life she was more than willing to take a few knocks to her pride.

“I admit it would be surprising,” the king replied calmly, turning to the knights again. “Are you certain it was this woman?”

Ethan and Oswald exchanged an annoyed look, but it was clear that they realised it would make the king doubtful of their other accusation if they continued to point fingers at Kiara. “I may have been mistaken,” he admitted, “It was dark in the chambers. Although I am certain this man tried to kill me. Why, one of your knights entered the room just as he was about to stab me.”

“Leon?” Arthur questioned, turning his gaze to the knight who was standing beside Kiara.

“I did see this man attacking Sir Oswald with a sword,” he admitted, “But Kiara was standing with Merlin, neither of them were armed.”

“I see,” the king murmured, his eyes flickering between Kiara and Gwaine.

“I rescind my accusations about the girl,” Oswald finally murmured, much to the delight of Gwaine, Merlin, Gaius and of course Kiara herself.

The king nodded, “You are pardoned,” he told her gruffly, before returning his attention to Gwaine and the knights.

“However, I tried to talk to him, he was like a man possessed.” Oswald lied, “I’m sure that Sir Ethan will back me up.”

“Indeed, I can vouch for every word he says.” Sir Ethan nodded, and at once Gwaine stumbled onto his feet, trying to reach the knight in his anger.

“That is a lie!” he spat out, but the guards either side of him pulled him back down. Kiara made a face as she realised his anger had got the better of him. It would just be worse for Gwaine now, as he had been seen yelling at a knight in front of the king.

“I will have your tongue!” the king roared, aggressively pointing towards Gwaine. “How dare you speak to a knight in that way?”

“Nobility is defined by what you do,” Gwaine retorted, his eyes focused on Oswald’s face as he continued to try and free himself from the guards hold on him, before lowering his voice somewhat and meeting the king’s eyes. “Not by who you are.”  The words seem to surprise Uther, for he lowered his hand and turned to meet his son’s gaze.