A/N: A oneshot that just popped into my head today. They've been doing that a lot recently - might be more to come soon!

Arthur frowned. The reports he was looking through looked...wrong.

He shuffled some papers on his desk. He shuffled some other papers on his desk. He glanced back down at the two reports that had so disturbed him and sighed.

"Alright, you look like you want to set that on fire with your mind - not that that's ever going to happen, given your utter lack of one - what's up?" Arthur sighed again.

"Nothing."

"Are you sure? Only you look like whatever it is is really making you think, and I don't want you to hurt yourself." This made Arthur pay enough attention to raise an eyebrow at his wayward manservant. "Oh, don't give me that, I live with Gaius, I'm immune. Seriously, Arthur, what's bugging you?"

"Just a few reports not adding up, that's all."

Merlin relaxed, nodding. "It's early days yet, Arthur, you can't have collected all the information you want only a week after the coup. Wait a while, it'll come through in the end."

"We're not in a state of crisis anymore, Merlin, you can stop pretending to be wise now." Both men grinned, glad that the tension had been broken.

"Yeah, yeah - you can stop pretending that your ceremonial attire still fits, too!"

"MERLIN!"

Arthur was glad that things were slowly getting back to normal.

So many things had changed in recent weeks (not least his marital status) and yet there were still old comforts to get him through. Patrols, hunts, feasts, his knights, Gaius, Gwen, and... Merlin...

Merlin. He might've done a good job in distracting the King from his paperwork at the time, but the fact was that his prediction hadn't come true. Well - Arthur had received further information on those annoyingly vague reports, but the new knowledge was anything but satisfying.

That and the rather more troubling aspects of the evidence had caused him to call a privy council: ordinarily, this would consist of the entire round table, including Gaius and Merlin, but given the nature of the information to be discussed - well...

He started, realising that he was already outside the entrance to the private chamber. He took a breath and opened the door.

The solid oak panel swung open and the occupants of the room rose to greet their King.

"Sit." Arthur took the seat next to his wife. She gave him a worried look.

"Where're the others?" Gwaine half-slurred.

"I told you to show up sober, Gwaine, not just slightly drunk."

Gwaine shrugged. "I can be serious if it's important. Where's Merlin and Gaius?"

Arthur frowned. "They're not going to be here today. I've summoned you here to discuss- "

"Sire, I'm sorry, but is there any particular reason-?"

Arthur shot him down with a look. "Yes, Elyan, there is. The nature of the information I wish to share with you is somewhat... delicate. It involves Merlin and, as we all know, if it involves Merlin it likely involves Gaius somewhere down the line."

The knights shifted uncomfortably. Leon spoke up. "Sire, are you suggesting that Merlin - and by extension, Gaius - are in any way - that is to say - do you believe them to be be, ah, conspiring-?"

"No! No, I... yes? Maybe?" Arthur sighed again. "That - that is what I've brought you here to discuss, and, hopefully, to determine."

Gwen looked horrified. "But Arthur, you can't possibly-!"

"Just hear me out, Guinevere. Please?" She eyed him suspiciously, but nodded. Arthur cleared his throat. "Right. Well, as you know, after the coup, Merlin and I ran into some smugglers and we travelled to Ealdor, where we met with you, Guinevere, and-and we were followed." He looked round the table, meeting each friend's eyes. "We were chased by a large war band, sent by Morgana and led by my uncle." He took a deep breath. "Two weeks ago, I was going through the preliminary reports on the whereabouts and numbers of Morgana's men, and I came across a disturbing anomaly. The small battalion that chased us to Ealdor had been recorded leaving the main cohort, but - and here's the interesting part - in a full week of searching, no-one had managed to come across them. Merlin, not knowing the details of what was worrying me, assured me that they would turn up. I took his advice and thought no more of it, until", and here he produced a sheaf of travel-stained documents, "a scout returned with this." He threw the papers onto the table, letting his friends take a good look as he continued. "The message came back that the entire band had been found burned to a crisp in the woods near the tunnels through which we escaped. The site was known to my men, but they'd dismissed it as a forest fire until the villagers found the bodies when hunting."

Gwaine looked up from the page he'd snagged and muttered, "Wyverns."

"What?"

Clearing his throat, Gwaine addressed the group a little louder. "Looks like it was wyverns. This -" he waved the page he was holding, "- this says all the men were gathered in formation, trying to fight the skies. All burnt to a crisp from the head down, all at roughly the same time." He shook his head. "I've never heard of so many wyverns attacking at once, though, and not when they have nothing to gain. No bodies scavenged, or - well, you see my point."

The council nodded. "But that's not all", Arthur added. They turned to face him again. "Agravaine and several men followed us into the tunnels. They almost caught up with us, but we escaped. Their bodies were found in a dead end, well away from their comrades."

"I don't understand." Gwen whispered. "Merlin never said-"

"Wait, Merlin?" Leon interrupted. "What's Merlin got to do with it?"

"That's why he's not here, old friend." Arthur sighed. "The bodies found in the tunnels were all killed by falling and breaking their necks. They were facing the dead end of the tunnel at the time. They- they were all lying as if they'd fallen backwards, at speed..."

"Sorcery." Confirmed Percival, grimly. Arthur nodded in agreement.

"Sorcery."

Gwen gasped suddenly. "You're not saying-"

Arthur put his hand over hers. "I'm sorry. Yes, I'm afraid I am." He turned to face them. "Both of these massacres had one common factor. When we entered the tunnels, one of our number hesitated a moment. When he joined us, he told us - with confidence - that we'd lost the men men following us. When we asked him how he knew, he refused to give a proper answer. Later, when we heard Agravaine's group in the tunnels, he seemed momentarily baffled. He was quick to volunteer to double back and distract them. Not quarter of an hour later, we - I had gone after him minutes after he left - returned to the group and set off for the last known location of the citizens who'd escaped Camelot." Arthur paused. "That man was Merlin, and it is my belief, based on the evidence in front of you, that he deliberately used magic to murder over fifty men in less than an hour that day."

Silence fell.

"Well", said Gwaine, flinching as the group turned to face him in unison, "that was a little anticlimactic. You came to the same conclusion after the last takeover. Cup of Life ringing any bells?" He shook his head. "I suggest we forget this like we always do. Courage, Strength and Magic too."

Arthur looked at him, horror written all over his face. "But there's written evidence, Gwaine-!"

"Actually, Sire, it doesn't say anything about Merlin's involvement here." Chimed Percival.

Arthur deflated slightly. "...Oh. Well - er - sorry for wasting everyone's time, then... Ow!" He rubbed his shoulder. "Guinevere!"

"You really had me worried for a moment, Arthur!" His wife glared at him. The knights chuckled as they exited the chamber.

"Someone's in the doghouse!" Sing-songed Gwaine over his shoulder. Arthur just pouted.