Voices Carry
Author: eurydice72
Title: Voices Carry
Rating: PG
Character/s: Uther, Gaius
Summary: Pre-series. A new scout brings word of Balinor to Camelot.
Warnings: Animal death (kind of)
Word Count: 793
Prompt: #533, surveillance
A dusty messenger knelt in front of the throne, his hat clutched in his filthy hands, awaiting permission to speak. Gaius stood off to the side, his features as stoic as ever, but Uther knew his old friend too well not to notice the tension in his jaw. Though this was a situation Uther had been in a hundred times since placing the bounty upon Balinor’s head, this time was different. This time, they knew the man who came professing knowledge. This time, Uther’s efforts to finally erase the final dragonlord from existence might actually pay off.
“What have you to offer?” Uther commanded. “And I warn you, this is not a frivolous matter. If you waste the court’s time with a fool’s errand, you shall be severely punished.”
“Of course, my sire.” The man somehow managed to bow even deeper. “I would not have come if I wasn’t entirely certain.”
“Then speak.”
“I was scouting the border as ordered when I was forced to take refuge from a storm. The village was small, but the people kind. They let me sleep in a barn for the night, but when I woke to leave before dawn, I saw a man hunched over something outside of the sheepcote. There was the smell of blood in the air, and I realized the animal was dead. Something had apparently killed one of the sheep. I was about to offer my help when the man whispered something and waved his hand over the body.” He glanced up through his lashes, fear apparent in his eyes. “Sire, they glowed with witchcraft.”
Uther tamped down his excitement. Though he had always trusted this particular scout, there had been reports of magic coming in from all around the kingdom since he laid down his decree. “You said this was about the wanted dragonlord,” he prompted.
“It is. After the sheep came back to life-”
“It what?”
“Came back to life,” the scout repeated. “It bleated, then got up and walked away as if nothing was wrong. I watched the man clean away any proof of what had happened, and later, when the others woke up, he made no mention of it. He was obviously hiding something, so I stayed in the forest to watch for a few more days to see what I could learn.”
“And what was that?”
“That within the village, they called this man Brenton. But outside, in the forest, a woman called him Balinor.”
His heart leapt. This was it. Finally. “What is this village’s name?” he demanded.
“Ealdor.”
He’d never heard of it. He cast a glance at Gaius, seeking clarification.
“It’s in Cenred’s kingdom, sire,” Gaius said.
That would explain why he’d been unable to locate Balinor for so long. The coward had fled to another kingdom in hopes Uther would not dare to follow and risk a war.
“Thank you for this information,” Uther said. “You will be properly rewarded.” With a jerk of his head, he dismissed the scout and the knights who had brought him in. When Gaius turned to leave with them, though, he gestured for him to stay.
“We must move swiftly,” Uther said when they were alone. “Can you prepare that elixir that kept me so alert during the siege after Arthur’s birth? I’d like to get to this Ealdor as soon as possible.”
Gaius frowned. “You can’t mean to go with the knights. You’re the king.”
“And Balinor is the kingdom’s greatest threat right now,” Uther countered. “My people need to know I fight for them.”
“And what if Balinor gets the upper hand? Camelot needs you alive, sire.”
“Do you have such little faith in me?”
“Of course not. But Balinor has proven elusive for months. You mustn’t underestimate him.”
“I don’t. That’s why you’re coming with us.” Rising, he stepped forward and clapped a hand on Gaius’s lean shoulder. “You know more about the dragonlords than anyone else in the kingdom. I need you by my side to guide me to victory, Gaius.”
Though Gaius’s blue eyes remained steady, for a brief moment, Uther wondered if Gaius would deny him. Nobody had been more steadfast in the past few years, especially not after the debacle with Nimueh and losing Ygraine, but Uther knew his friend’s distaste for bloodshed. He preferred his books to battle, compromise to conflict. He’d pulled Uther back from more than one rash decision with his level head, but this order might be a step too far.
He was about to rescind the command when Gaius nodded. “You’re right,” Gaius said. “I should be at your side in this.”
Relief flooded through him. “We’ll have Balinor’s head on a pike before week’s end. Mark my word.”
“I always do, my lord.”
Title: Voices Carry
Rating: PG
Character/s: Uther, Gaius
Summary: Pre-series. A new scout brings word of Balinor to Camelot.
Warnings: Animal death (kind of)
Word Count: 793
Prompt: #533, surveillance
A dusty messenger knelt in front of the throne, his hat clutched in his filthy hands, awaiting permission to speak. Gaius stood off to the side, his features as stoic as ever, but Uther knew his old friend too well not to notice the tension in his jaw. Though this was a situation Uther had been in a hundred times since placing the bounty upon Balinor’s head, this time was different. This time, they knew the man who came professing knowledge. This time, Uther’s efforts to finally erase the final dragonlord from existence might actually pay off.
“What have you to offer?” Uther commanded. “And I warn you, this is not a frivolous matter. If you waste the court’s time with a fool’s errand, you shall be severely punished.”
“Of course, my sire.” The man somehow managed to bow even deeper. “I would not have come if I wasn’t entirely certain.”
“Then speak.”
“I was scouting the border as ordered when I was forced to take refuge from a storm. The village was small, but the people kind. They let me sleep in a barn for the night, but when I woke to leave before dawn, I saw a man hunched over something outside of the sheepcote. There was the smell of blood in the air, and I realized the animal was dead. Something had apparently killed one of the sheep. I was about to offer my help when the man whispered something and waved his hand over the body.” He glanced up through his lashes, fear apparent in his eyes. “Sire, they glowed with witchcraft.”
Uther tamped down his excitement. Though he had always trusted this particular scout, there had been reports of magic coming in from all around the kingdom since he laid down his decree. “You said this was about the wanted dragonlord,” he prompted.
“It is. After the sheep came back to life-”
“It what?”
“Came back to life,” the scout repeated. “It bleated, then got up and walked away as if nothing was wrong. I watched the man clean away any proof of what had happened, and later, when the others woke up, he made no mention of it. He was obviously hiding something, so I stayed in the forest to watch for a few more days to see what I could learn.”
“And what was that?”
“That within the village, they called this man Brenton. But outside, in the forest, a woman called him Balinor.”
His heart leapt. This was it. Finally. “What is this village’s name?” he demanded.
“Ealdor.”
He’d never heard of it. He cast a glance at Gaius, seeking clarification.
“It’s in Cenred’s kingdom, sire,” Gaius said.
That would explain why he’d been unable to locate Balinor for so long. The coward had fled to another kingdom in hopes Uther would not dare to follow and risk a war.
“Thank you for this information,” Uther said. “You will be properly rewarded.” With a jerk of his head, he dismissed the scout and the knights who had brought him in. When Gaius turned to leave with them, though, he gestured for him to stay.
“We must move swiftly,” Uther said when they were alone. “Can you prepare that elixir that kept me so alert during the siege after Arthur’s birth? I’d like to get to this Ealdor as soon as possible.”
Gaius frowned. “You can’t mean to go with the knights. You’re the king.”
“And Balinor is the kingdom’s greatest threat right now,” Uther countered. “My people need to know I fight for them.”
“And what if Balinor gets the upper hand? Camelot needs you alive, sire.”
“Do you have such little faith in me?”
“Of course not. But Balinor has proven elusive for months. You mustn’t underestimate him.”
“I don’t. That’s why you’re coming with us.” Rising, he stepped forward and clapped a hand on Gaius’s lean shoulder. “You know more about the dragonlords than anyone else in the kingdom. I need you by my side to guide me to victory, Gaius.”
Though Gaius’s blue eyes remained steady, for a brief moment, Uther wondered if Gaius would deny him. Nobody had been more steadfast in the past few years, especially not after the debacle with Nimueh and losing Ygraine, but Uther knew his friend’s distaste for bloodshed. He preferred his books to battle, compromise to conflict. He’d pulled Uther back from more than one rash decision with his level head, but this order might be a step too far.
He was about to rescind the command when Gaius nodded. “You’re right,” Gaius said. “I should be at your side in this.”
Relief flooded through him. “We’ll have Balinor’s head on a pike before week’s end. Mark my word.”
“I always do, my lord.”