Morgana stared blankly at Kai, finding it hard to believe her fiancé could be so heartless.
"So, we're just going to watch them starve to death?" she pressed.
"As cruel as it sounds... yes. They have their own king and nobles. We have absolutely no standing or right to interfere, even if our intention is to help them." Kai frowned, slightly annoyed by Morgana's stubborn tunnel vision. He truly wondered if she had even listened to a word he'd just said.
Kindness is a good thing, but it's not an excuse, and it certainly isn't a reason for blind action! Would helping Ealdor be a good deed? Of course. Offering aid to those in need is never a bad thing. But what about the consequences? Charging headfirst into this situation just for the sake of momentary goodwill isn't kindness; it's foolishness.
Kai had explained it clearly: if they followed through with her idea, the outcome would be far more severe than just a single village being harassed by bandits. It wouldn't just be one village dying; it would put the lives of thousands at risk.
Morgana wasn't listening. She had completely locked herself in a deadlock, convinced she no longer knew the man standing before her. With that thought, she refused to hear another word from Kai, turning away heartbroken and striding quickly out of the great hall.
Kai shook his head in frustration and exchanged a look with King Uther, who also wore an expression of helplessness. Neither of them knew if Morgana's extreme innocence was a blessing or a curse.
...
Merlin was also deeply disappointed. He loved his mother and his home village, so he desperately wanted King Uther to lend aid, but... suddenly, he felt that staying in Camelot was pointless.
He had initially come to Camelot looking for a place where he truly belonged. Now, he wasn't sure this was it. He decided he had to go back to Ealdor; he needed to protect his mother, not stand by here doing nothing.
He had thought he could do something for his mother and his village, but reality told him he was utterly powerless.
"I'm sorry, Merlin," Arthur said, walking up to him just as Merlin was contemplating his next move. "If the decision were mine, we'd already be on the road."
Merlin glanced at Arthur, who was deliberately keeping a straight face, and smiled. He suddenly felt that this whole journey hadn't been a complete wash after all. At the very least, he had a decent friend, even if this friend was loud, arrogant, and constantly ordering him around. Still... it wasn't too bad, right? After all, his friend was a Prince.
"You tried your best. I'm grateful you convinced the King to grant my mother an audience." Merlin didn't blame Arthur. He saw the same frustration in Arthur that he felt—Arthur wanted to help Ealdor, but both King Uther and Sir Kai had refused. Arthur was stuck.
"I wish Camelot could help people no matter how far away they lived," Arthur said, still bothered by what had just happened. However, he was doing better than Merlin; at least he understood that Kai and Uther's concerns were valid. Still, Arthur hated their way of thinking. This was the first time he'd ever heard that you had to worry about consequences before doing the right thing.
"The fact that you think that shows you've got ambition," Kai's voice suddenly chimed in from behind Arthur and Merlin.
They both spun around to see Kai standing behind them.
Merlin immediately bowed, while Arthur pouted and angrily turned his head away like a child. He was still mad about Kai's earlier pronouncements.
Kai casually motioned for Merlin to straighten up, then looked at the still-sullen Arthur. Seeing him act so immaturely made Kai lose his temper. He never indulged Arthur's moodiness, so he raised his foot and delivered a sharp kick to Arthur's backside.
The kick sent Arthur staggering, nearly tumbling off the palace battlements. It was only Merlin's quick reaction that saved him.
"What are you doing?! You almost killed me!" Arthur yelled, startled out of his angry silence.
"Ugh... when are you going to grow up, little brother? I just complimented you, and you immediately prove how boneheaded you are. How can I possibly feel safe sending you to Ealdor?"
Arthur, still shaking from the fright, immediately snapped his head toward Kai, grabbing his tunic. "What did you just say? Did you agree to help Ealdor?" he asked urgently.
Kai didn't rush to answer, instead casting a pointed look at the hand clutching his clothing.
Arthur instantly released his grip, stood ramrod straight, and asked again in a more formal, steadier voice, "Did you agree to help Ealdor?"
Kai smoothed the wrinkles out of his tunic before speaking slowly. "When did we agree to anything?"
Arthur's eyes went wide, and he looked ready to explode.
But Kai's next sentence quickly calmed him down.
"It's just that Camelot's resident Dummy Prince and a few of his friends apparently want to take a little field trip. I hear their destination is a small village called Ealdor. Oh dear, should I remind him that the area isn't very safe lately? I hear there are bandits running around. It would be a shame if that Dummy Prince and his friends got into a skirmish with some outlaws."
After saying this, Kai looked at Arthur's bewildered face and shook his head again.
"In any case, if anything unpleasant were to happen, it would have nothing to do with Camelot. It would simply be the personal actions of that Dummy Prince and his friends, and it would not represent the official position of Camelot."
With that, Kai turned and walked away.
Leaving Arthur and Merlin staring at each other.
"Who was he calling a dummy just now?" Arthur had missed everything else but the insult. Having been called a dummy by Morgana and Kai since childhood, he was incredibly sensitive about the word.
Merlin gave Arthur a look of disbelief and suddenly thought Kai's insult was spot-on. This guy was definitely a dummy!
...
"How are the preparations going?" Arthur asked, comfortably relaxing and enjoying some post-meal fruit while Merlin organized their gear and supplies.
"If you'd actually help, I think we could have left hours ago!" Merlin griped, a familiar complaint.
"I..." Arthur was about to retort when a knock came at the door. He sighed, putting down his fruit, and yelled at Merlin, "Merlin! Get the door!"
Merlin put down the half-packed bags and grudgingly walked toward the entrance, muttering under his breath, "Why do you need help with the simplest thing, like opening a door? Dummy Prince!"
"What was that?" Arthur didn't catch it clearly.
"Nothing! I was just wondering who would be rude enough to knock at this hour," Merlin quickly corrected himself.
However, when Merlin opened the door, his jaw dropped, and he couldn't speak.
"What took you so long to open up?" The person pushed past Merlin and stormed inside. "What are you two doing? I was getting impatient waiting!"
Seeing the newcomer, Arthur instantly took his feet off the table and exclaimed in shock, "Morgana?!"
Morgana stood there, a longsword belted at her waist and dressed in a set of gray hunting clothes. She looked like a battle maiden—trim, sharp, and confident. Trailing behind her, Gwen followed closely, carrying a sack.
"Why are you two here?!" Arthur demanded.