Merlin's Sister

Sweet Dreams

Arthur stood on the balcony with his father. Their relationship had been strained in the recent weeks, but Arthur had begun to show him indifference instead of the resentment that had followed his outing with Kenna. Despite the king's dislike of the small maidservant, he couldn't help feeling grateful for how she handled the situation. He was very aware she was the only one, besides maybe Morgana, who could force him to listen like that.

True to his word, however forced, Uther explained what had happened all those years ago in his words. It hadn't been a very calm conversation. Arthur had refused to speak to him about anything that didn't have to do with the running of the kingdom for almost three weeks. Eventually the girl had to force him to come to a feast in honor of a new knight, and Arthur began to show him the current indifference he was showing now.

Arthur looked at his father and rolled his eyes. "Father, we're not going into battle, you don't have to look so somber."

Uther kept his eyes on the carriages being pulled into the courtyard. "Never before have the rulers of the five kingdoms come together in this way. Never before have we all worked towards the same aim, towards peace. If these talks are successful, Camelot will enter a new era of prosperity. If they fail, we will almost certainly be at war."

Arthur looked down at the arriving guest once more. This time you could tell he was much more tense.

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King Alined was the first to arrive. He was a small man, but not very noticeable. You wouldn't have known he was the king if not for the crown on his head. His temper though gave away the kind of king he was.

"Boy!" Alined snapped. "Is it too much to ask that you might anticipate my needs?!"

His servant had a certain panicked look. "No, Master. I was just..."

Alined kicked him in the behind and commanded, "Stop whining."

"Sorry, Master," He said as he bowed and picked up the king's cape that had been discarded.

Alined turned to Uther who smiled as he embraced him as if they were old friends. "Alined, you are most welcome on this momentous occasion."

Alined smirked. "Momentous? Let us hope so."

Arthur ordered that the first king and his entourage be led to their rooms just as the next entered the courtyard. Olaf rode up with us daughter Vivian in tow. Like Alined, Uther greeted him as an old friend. Arthur went and helped Vivian down from her horse. She curtsied quickly and whisked away to her father.

"What kind of welcome is this?" Olaf joked. "You have us hanging around like the last swallows of summer."

Uther grinned, "You are welcome, indeed, Olaf."

"May I present my daughter, the Lady Vivian," Olaf introduced his daughter as she walked up.

Uther bent down to kiss her hand, "Lady Vivian. How like your mother you are."

She curtsied and Arthur escorted her to her rooms.

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As Kenna was nowhere to be found, he sent Merlin for Gwen. Morgana was just going to have to do without a servant until Kenna decided to grace them with her presence once again.

Vivian began inspecting her new surroundings and Arthur tried to start a conversation. "I hope everything is to your satisfaction."

"It is...adequate," Vivian simpered in a prissy fashion.