Chapter Text
Court Obligations
by Moonbeam
/ / / A Curse Is Born / / /
"Uther Pendragon, for your sins your kingdom shall suffer."
Those had been the words of the witch, the first witch, the original one. Arthur had just been born; he was barely a month old but Ygraine was dead and Uther knew who and what was to blame.
Magic.
And so began the Great Purge.
/ / /
Uther stepped out onto the balcony above the courtyard where the pyre stood with a young woman tied to the tall centre post. She caught sight of Uther flanked by his knights and began to curse at him, words of the old religion that were rendered useless by the collar around her neck.
Uther held up his right arm and the crowd gathered grew silent their eyes riveted to the king. "For your crime of sorcery you are sentenced to death. Let this be a warning to all people who practice the evil act of performing magic. Any person found guilty of sorcery will be cleansed through fire. You are the first witch, but you shall not be the last. People of Camelot denounce the old religion, never again practice your evil ways and you may keep your lives." Uther looked around the courtyard at his subjects and then dropped his arm. "Burn the witch."
The witch on the pyre watched the knight drop a burning touch to the base of her pyre before she looked up and caught Uther's eyes. "Uther Pendragon, for your sins your kingdom shall suffer."
Uther ignored her words and watched as the witch burned, righteousness making his chest swell. This was only the beginning but he would kill all of them, anyone who practiced witchcraft would die. He would make sure that magic was purged from his land before he was dead, he would leave his son a land free of magic. Uther remained where he was looking down on the witch burning until she stopped screaming and her burning body slumped down. He stood there long after until the fire was low and servants came out to sweep the ash and bone to be carted outside to an unmarked area where the remains of the unclean sorcerers would be buried. Uther watched as one of his knights stepped forward to pull the collar from the ashes to be delivered to Gaius for cleaning and checking.
When the square was clean with no sign of what had happened save for the scorch marks that had turned the stones black Uther turned from the balcony and walked to his son's room. He waved the nurse away picking his son up and moving over to the window, he ran his finger down Arthur's cheek, so much like Ygraine. Arthur was small and pale with tufts of white blond hair and blue eyes so clear they looked like the sky outside.
"The witch is dead, Arthur," Uther said quietly as his son stared at him. "Not the one that killed your mother but I will get to Nimueh soon enough. They will all die, when you are King there will be no sorcerers left. You will be free to reign over this land without fear of enchantment or curses. It will be glorious, Arthur, when they are all gone and everyone in the kingdom will rejoice to be rid of them."
Uther stood at the window cradling his son for a long while until the sun had passed its zenith and Arthur started to fuss. He handed Arthur back to his nurse and walked from the room finding Gaius in his new rooms where his old friend would treat people as the new court physician. Uther knocked before entering knowing that Gaius was still unpacking and might be on a ladder, he did not need his new court physician to be injured in his first week.
"Come," Gaius said looking up from the mortar and pestle in front of him. "Sire, come in." Gaius said bowing slightly when he realised who was at his door.
"Gaius, did you receive the collar?"
Gaius' eyes dropped to the collar on one of his worktables as he nodded. "Yes, I will work on it this afternoon. Lady Charlotte took a tumble and I am preparing something for her wrist and ankle."
"Of course, please come and see me when it has been tested I want to make sure it is ready for the next one."
"Yes Sire," Gaius said his eyes flicking up for a moment as Uther nodded and turned to leave. Uther watched his old friend drop his head to his chest moments before the door was closed tightly.
Uther went down to his council chambers ready to meet with his senior knights. As Uther strode through the double doors his knights all stood, their heads bowed as they welcomed him as one. He nodded to them in turn and then took his seat at the head of the table.
"What news?" Uther said looking around the table.
"A group of knights is bringing in three witches from the north that were caught performing magic on the crops in their villages," Sir Tyrone said.
"Was there any damage?" Uther asked.
"No, it appears they were trying to help protect the crops from frost," Sir Tyrone said looking down.
"They are trying to convince us that they are not what we know them to be, attempting to gain our trust so that they will be able to burn the heart from Camelot with their sorcery."
"Of course, Sire," Sir Tyrone said.
"There are some knights from the south coming with a group of sorcerers caught practicing in the woods during a full moon." Sir Anthony said.
"Good," Uther said. "They shall all be burned together."
"Yes, Sire," Sir Thomas said. "We have been contacted by two men who want to give up their neighbours as sorcerers for the reward that you offered."
"Make sure they are actually magic users and it is not just the reward they are after." Uther said.
"Yes, Sire. I will need another two of knights to assist me." Sir Thomas requested.
"Take two of the younger knights, it will be a good experience for them," Uther said nodding.
"Yes, Sire," Sir Thomas said.
"Anything else on the purge?" Uther asked. Sir Godfrey and Sir Malcolm looked to one another but no one said anything. Uther stared at them for a few long minutes until Sir Malcolm squirmed and nodded.
"Sire, the witch," Sir Malcolm stopped, his shoulders straightening before continuing. "We were wondering at what the witch said as she burned, she was acting differently to when she was attempting to curse you. She said the kingdom would suffer."
Uther thought back to what the witch had screamed up at him. He could still hear her words 'Uther Pendragon, for your sins your kingdom shall suffer' but he was not worried. "You are the strongest knights in all of Albion. We can defeat any army, no witch can stop us. I have faith in my knights, in my armies to protect all of Camelot. So do not fear the witch's words."
His knights all nodded and they moved on to talking of the training, the new squires who came in hope of one day being knights themselves and the different assignments that were due to be reassessed.
His knights stood when Gaius knocked on the door and asked to be allowed in. Uther ushered him over as the knights left the room and asked the servant standing against the wall to fetch them both food and wine. Gaius smiled his thanks pushing his long brown hair away from his face and tying it with a length of brown leather.
Gaius placed the collar on the table before Uther and the king picked it up to inspect it, there was no evidence it had burned in a fire earlier that day. Uther was very pleased with this little trinket, Gaius had been imperative in making it, allowing himself to be tested on, allowing himself to be bound and then making sure that he could not do any magic. Uther could not have started the purge as quickly as he did without Gaius' help.
"You did a good job, the knights are bringing more sorcerers here as we speak, and this will be needed again before the week is out."
"Thank you, Sire," Gaius said quietly.
"I know you don't believe that all people who practice magic are evil Gaius but we are doing the right thing."
"Yes, Sire," Gaius said again taking a drink from the goblet placed in front of him.
"Were you at the burning?"
"No, I needed to attend to Lady Charlotte."
"Is she very hurt?"
"She will need to remain abed for a week but she will make a full recovery," Gaius said with a small smile.
"The witch said something as she burned."
"Yes, Sire?" Gaius asked watching Uther's expression closely.
"She said 'Uther Pendragon, for your sins your kingdom shall suffer', even as she burned she thought I should be scared of her. Magical practitioners have no understanding of their own limitations; they think they are so far above us all. I am going to bring them all back down to earth."
"You need to remember, Sire, that the old religion needs balance, their threat might be real." Gaius warned.
"Have no fear, Gaius; Camelot's army is strong enough to defeat any army. We will stop any threat. We have nothing to fear from a few witches who think they can sow fear."
"Magic knows more ways of revenge than brute force," Gaius warned.
"Gaius, we are going to stop the spread of their evil sorcery. We have weapons that render them no more powerful than anyone else, and more are being created every day. We will win this war. Ygraine will be avenged and I shall rid this land of sorcery."
"Yes, Sire," Gaius agreed. "Camelot shall be free from sorcery."
"I could not do this without you my friend." Uther said placing a hand on Gaius' forearm.
"I know Sire," Gaius said quietly before turning back to his food and pushing it around his plate, eating small mouthfuls occasionally.
They ate and spoke only of court matters, staying away from the topic of magic, when the food was removed they moved to sit before the fire as they had done for years since Uther had fought his way to the throne. Gaius had been apprentice to the court physician when Uther was a boy and there was no person in all of the court that Uther trusted more. Uther had allowed him the choice, give up his magic or leave the kingdom. Uther would not give anyone else that choice but Gaius had chosen to remain with him, to help build the future that Uther could see so he would allow him this time to leave his old life behind.
Together they were going to create a better future for Camelot.
/ / /