A/N: Just a quick one. Based off of an idea that Dragoon was an actual character separate from Merlin.

Camelot was languishing under the effects of a particularly virulent plague. The mortality rate thus far had been absolute, with every man, woman and child affected dead within days. The water was undrinkable. The people were very much afraid. The court physician, a man of considerable experience and expertise, was utterly confounded.

It had not been an easy few weeks for Uther and Arthur Pendragon. With little to do but sit and watch the kingdom fall apart, the king was clearly grasping at straws. With all that said, his reaction to the news of a miraculous recovery might be made more understandable.

"The plague has been a death sentence to all who catch it. Only one man has recovered Gaius."

"It appears so sire, though I am unsure why it is so," Gaius said honestly.

Uther nodded, resting his head to one side as he thought. "If what you say about the magical nature of this blight is true, the person responsible must have healed the blacksmith. Arthur," he said, flicking his eyes to his son, "search his house. Find this sorcerer and we shall have an end to this threat."

"Yes father."

With that, the house of the poor blacksmith was ransacked and the magical healing item was recovered from Tom's bed. Having heard the testimony of the father, his daughter was seized and brought before Uther, who was utterly ruthless in his ruling. Sentenced to death, the sobbing girl was dragged away.

Arthur did not carry the same cool confidence as the king in this matter. Although the evidence was indeed damning, he could not get past the idea that Gwen of all people was being blamed for this. Morgana loved her dearly and her servant always seemed to be the gentlest creature in the city, though he did not know her that well of course. To dispute his father's orders with so little but a feeling would be foolish yet Arthur felt that, no matter how hard he tried to think otherwise, they were making some kind of terrible mistake.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not see the elderly man until he barged into him, sending both sprawling onto the floor.

"My apologies!" Arthur said as soon as he saw what he had done. One of the more important of the rules of chivalry were respect to the old and infirm. Yet he had just ploughed into a man that looked as though he could have been old when Uther was crowned.

"Pay it no mind, pay it no mind my young friend," the man said, "It is difficult I know when you are young to see what is in front of your face sometimes."

"Er, yes. I shall bear that in mind," the prince said, wondering if he had knocked the old geezer silly or if he was always this batty.

"Will you?" The old man asked keenly, staring into Arthur's face. "Good. Very good. You must remember that. Learning your lesson is also something I recall being difficult, sometimes. But if you learn this, it was well worth being knocked flat by the King's son." With that, the old man sprang up, bones creaking in protest and trotted off merrily down the street, leaving Arthur slightly shell-shocked at what had just occurred.