Somehow, today, I managed to fall asleep during the council meeting.

And let it be said I do not snore because no-one even noticed for a good twenty minutes, possibly they were all asleep as well because Monmouth was blabbering on at the time.

I don't believe Uncle was very impressed by this behaviour, but with Samhain and the end of the harvesting season fast approaching there's been so many meetings...it's almost constant. I haven't had a chance to train with the knights for a week. Beyond that, I need to drill the guards every fortnight as well, because they need it, they'll forget how to hold a sword if I leave off too long.

And I barely manage to see Guinevere at all.

Something has to change that's all I can say.

So a few days ago I was suffering through a meeting with Monmouth when lo and behold a cat showed up. A cat in the middle of the Council room, with the doors closed. Honestly, the guards are still pathetic.

Anyway, it was a very odd cat, very uppity - why would people even want to keep cats I don't know, this one was pretty much trying to order me around. This most embarrassing thing is, I sort of let it. At least until I came to my senses.

Although, I'd like to know where that cat went and who owns it. There was something decidedly strange about it and I'm finding the whole thing suspicious. God knows what sorcery might be capable of...that cat could be some sort of spy, especially since Percival saw Morgana in the forest. I'm sure she'd want to spy on us, plan her next move, whatever that might be.

However, I'm not yet to ask the knights to be on the look out for a cat with golden fur, apart from anything else I'll never hear the end of it from Gwaine.

And for now, I'd like to avoid that.

So...I finally managed to meet up with Guinevere (my Guinevere today) and my accent was so thick you could...I don't know what you could do, but something! All I can say is I'm lucky Father is so distracted reminencing about the tournament and that I've been able to keep out of Camelot...mostly.

Of course Merlin found out, and wasn't that just dandy? Honestly, I'm sorry I made a resolution not to throw objects at his head, because I think he deserves it right now.

Guinevere at least was nice about it, she's too good for me, really. We didn't discuss the Tournament, probably because it was difficult to make myself clear. I'll have to speak to her again (oh dear, what a shame) because, well...I hope to get a toekn from her, there's no way I can fight in this tournament without one from her.

And now, I will sleep, more training tomorrow...some of it's supposed to be with the guards and I can only pray some miracle will occur and this accent will GO. Otherwise, Leon will have to do it.

Because I'm not having the Camelot guards lose all respect for me, that would just be ridiculous.

And embarrassing...

Actually hit me in the head today!

Sadly, I don't believe it was an example of how they're getting better at their jobs...actually it was more of an accident and barely hurt at all - I had my helmet on, of course, which I suppose made all the difference. It probably would have been a rather respectable blow otherwise.

I'm considering issuing a challenge to the guards to join the Great Tournament, seeing as it's open to all, I don't imagine they'll make it very far, but perhaps they won't disgrace themselves completely. Or conversely I could threaten those who don't show improvement any time soon with being made to enter. There's nothing quite so humilating as having ones rear end handed to them on a platter.

I must speak to Morgana tomorrow, if I don't see Guinevere soon I think I'll go mad.

And future!people's comments have started showing up in my book again. How does that even happen? I hope they can't read everything in here. I shudder to think! Some things a private.

Very private...

Sometimes I just don't know what to do with him.

He can be absolutely useless to the point where it should be illegal.

Still, he tries his best and I suppose that's all you can ask for, it's certainly better than what the guards do.

I find myself missing Guinevere, actually this isn't new. I always miss her. She no longer serves our meals - not that that was something she did often, but it was always wonderful to see her.

I almost hope though...that the reason behind this is that Father actually feels guilty for sentencing her to death. It's a lot to hope for, probably too much. But I have known Father to be sorry for things.

Anyway...there's hunting tomorrow, the weather is warm enough now that there should be plenty of game.

We start early though, so I have to get to bed. I'd all ready be in it, if not for Merlin...honestly...

It really didn't, except that it rained.

Hard.

The Guards of course, being the girls petticoats that they are didn't want to train, I put a stop to that. Honestly, I wasn't asking them to stand out there all day and the rain wasn't even that icy. Honestly, it's sad.

Training for the tournament went much better, although I may have been a bit tough on Sir Ioan. I seriously doubt he suspects that I was in fact not enchanted, he probably thinks I'm doing him a favour by going one on one. Going up against the best knight in Camelot is good practice, really. Perhaps I should stop...

Today was blissfully free of Council Meetings, but the same can't be said for tomorrow, apparently the first Thursday of every month is the most important council day. I'm willing to bet nothing exicting is going to happen. I think Monmouth might be speaking.

I better get enough sleep then, I doubt I'm going to have any credibility if I fall asleep in the middle of a council again. Entertainment factor aside.

I keep stumbling into that Nexus place. They ask provoking questions, but I can't keep wandering into different worlds. It's enough to make you lose your mind!

Besides, I have to start my training for the Great Tournament, I can practically hear Merlin going on about how ridiculous this is all is, Morgana as well, but neither of them are knights. They can't truly understand the importance of this sort of thing. If I was to win, it's one of the greatest honours a knight can get, perhaps the greatest honour.

Plus, I need to work on the guards some more, at the Council Meeting today there were reports of attempts on the border by bandits. Not that the guards will be out there, but if God forbid the palace was invaded.

Well, I've mentioned this problem before.

Another problem is Guinevere, I've barely seen her, let alone spoken to her! I may have to go to Morgana again.

Although this time I'll make sure she knows not to come barging in at inopportune moments.

Today was pretty awful, and by that I mean excuriating. First of all, sitting at close quarters with Father.

Then there were the council members who were making all sorts of sly comments about my 'lucky escape'.

I had to bite my tongue...a lot.

As soon as that horror was over, I decided to take my aggression out ion the practice dummy.

And I believe the guards could use another tough training session tomorrow...

Yes, an entire day dedicated to training the guards. I think I've made some progress, they were certainly doing better with full-armour exercises by the end of the day.

But I had quite a few...visitors...both from Camelot and elsewhere. Each of them seemed to agree that the guards aren't going to make it.

But I'm going to do it! I think there might even be one with talent...maybe I can make him the Head Guard, our current one Farrier is particularly useless if you ask me.

Right...I'm about to fall asleep, so I'll figure out what to do about the guards tomorrow.

I ran into another one of those Middle Earth people. I think they might be from a different world, but it's rather hard to tell, they have a lot in common with Camelot people.

But yes, it was good to hear someone talking of duty as an honour, I'm starting to think the guards don't see it that way. Lazy maggots the lot of them! Cenred's making noise on the borders and Camelot is not going to fall because or guards are completely useless.

At least not while I'm overseeing them.

And with that in mind I have a whole day's worth of training planned for them tomorrow.

Which means I should be rested up as well.

Merlin better wake me up on time...

Having to use our secret code, was really quite embarrassing. And Morgana certainly milked it for all she was worth.

But! I'll be able to talk to Guinevere in three days and that's the important thing, the very important thing.

Now...I just have to get the guards into better shape...as Morgana pointed out to me, the only reason they managed to keep me under guard is because I wasn't about to come out with my sowrd swinging. But that's not going to wash if the castle is invaded.

I'll make them a guard to be proud of, I vow!

At least that's what everyone seems to be doing...I suppose I can't blame them, even I'm distracted by the upcoming event, Camelot's Great Tournament.

It's held once a decade and for the first time I'm old enough to compete. The current champion is my father. And not to put too fine a point on it, I feel rather...inspired to go up against him. He hasn't even apologised to Guinevere, not that I should be surprised, Father has never apologised to a servant ever.

But anyway, the Great Tournament - I ran into a another knight today and I immediately inquired if he would be competing. But the multiverse was up to its tricks, seeing as he had no idea what I was even talking about.

And something occurred to me today...they failed to capture Dragoon, but honestly? The guards are getting better.

So...I'm having some good luck...

I've mentioned this before, but I'm quite sure it's finally happened...the snow is gone and it won't be coming back.

And not a moment too soon, as I wrote before, the loss of the snowknights is unfortunate, but I think it's time to train the actual guards, I hope they haven't backslid completely, we'll soon find out I suppose.

And more hunting! Last time's hunting proved to be very enjoyable despite the fact I didn't actually hunt anything down. But I did get Guinevere, and that's far better.

I'm still trying to live down the whole mess with falling asleep at the council meeting and snoring...Father has been going on about whenever we met, which unfortunately was a lot today.

Now, to follow Guinevere's advice and get a good night sleep...and have pleasant dreams I hope! Since last nigh's dreams involved me falling asleep and snoring - at tournaments, at meetings, even at my own coronation!

And it's a good thing Morgana will never see this, because I know she'd never let me forget it. Or let me forget it.

The day started out quite well I finally got the chance to train! And not just with the knights, but the guards as well (God, they've completely backslided, honestly I don't know what to do with them...). In fact I even managed to avoid the meetings by convincing Father that training was absolutely necessary, which isn't a lie, it is!

Perhaps a slight exaggeration.

What isn't an exaggeration is how much Sir Ioan is starting to irritate me, he serrenaded Guinevere today on his lute! I didn't even know he could play the lute.

So of course, I had to tell Guinevere that I was perfectly capable of playing the lute as well.

Which I'm not...

Oh God, it was SO hideous...I don't think she'll ever take me seriously again.

Why do I do these things? I'm an idiot, obviously.

Ugh, I don't even want to think about it anymore.

The Camelot Guards continue to disappoint, for example they wouldn't train today, they insist the snow was too deep. Too deep?! Ridiculous! It's just snow anyway! This is really a most pathetic showing.

Speaking of the snow, I went out after dinner to take a look at the training grounds. The snow was hardly above one's ankles. If you can't run in that...

Needless to say I discovered some children were at least fully capable of getting around in the snow because the snow people Guinevere and I made yesterday had been thoroughly destroyed. Fortunately I also happened to run into Ashley, one of the new servants in the kitchens who helped me rebuild them. Snow me may be slightly taller than before, but you know...it's the thought that counts right?

I can't quite get my mind off yesterday...I...it just it seemed so real. I met a younger version of my father thanks to this strange multiverse thing...perhaps it's not such a stretch to believe...

I just wish I could see her again.

Yes, that's what I wrote...and why shouldn't I? This is what books like this are for right? Sharing feelings and ridiculous stuff like that.

Well, I'm very happy today, firstly the guards...well...they've sort of improved...but that's not the reason.

No, the reason is I saw Guinevere! I'm starting to wonder about how we're working the servants here...I mean, if she's so busy I can't even find her for days on end. Well, that's just not right. You know, now that I think about it, Merlin has no right to complain, I give him time off left, right and centre. It's ungrateful, that's what it is.

Still...I wish I could tell Guinevere about meeting her younger self...but yes...I couldn't possibly do so without sounding like I'm insane. Which is a shame...she really was a cute kid! Much cuter than I gave her credit for...I remember her...well not much at all, probably because Morgana was always in my face over something or other.

Which I probably should thank her for, because if I'd been as terrible to Guinevere as I had been to others when I was that age, she'd probably hate my guts.

Hmmm...I wonder what Morgana would think if I got her flowers, for no reason at all...

Not sure if that's good or bad...good I suppose, although I'm not some old man, I do like to be kept on my toes. As far as today went the only thing that shocked me was that one of the guards proved himself to quite the crack shot with a bow and arrow.

The only problem is that guards don't use a bow and arrow...unless it's in the middle of a battle. They're just too wieldy for day to day use. So I'm not entirely sure what to do about that.

And lastly, Father's given me some grain reports to study...I'm supposed to present them to him tomorrow morning first thing...

And I haven't done them.

Right, better get on that then!

The the Camelot guards I mean. I don't even know how they got hired. Obviously whoever was behind it didn't have a clue. Probably one of the older council members, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't know what a fight was if they were at a tournament! Pathetic.

I met a gentleman who claimed to be Eros, the Eros, the God of Desire. I don't really need help in that department...not a bad guy though...for a God I mean...

After that, I was going to track down Morgana so we could begin our search, but I got side tracked by that look-a-like of mine, Prince Edward. I don't think I can adequately describe how completely bizarre it is having someone who looks exactly like you, but they're you're complete opposite. Prince Edward doesn't even know how to weild a sword!

Back in Camelot! Actually we got back yesterday evening - way ahead of time! Gwaine must have known a short-cut or something.

Of course, Gwaine couldn't actually accompany us, with the banishment and all, but I'm sure he's carousing in a tavern somewhere, making some poor sap foot his bill.

First thing's first when I got back - Guinevere! I know...it was only four days, but it felt like a life time...even with my rather odd...er...vision? Dream? Obviously there was still magical residue floating around the Perilious Lands. A decidedly pleasant spell, although it did almost get me killed in a bog. I'll have to be more careful in the future...

After a lovely reunion with my lovely Guinevere, I had to deal with Morgana. I lost her token somehow (not in the bog incidentally) and tried to make it up to her by presenting her with the Fisher King's trident but uh...it really didn't make up for loss.

So my birthday is tomorrow...Father is of course throwing a feast, which is well...nice...but of course Guinevere will only be there in terms of her serving duties.

I just wish...

But I don't have time for this sort of...girly girl heart-searching, I'm training the guards in half an hour, they really must get better.

Like The Quest.

That's what I've been doing all day, being in conferences with Father and the Advisors about my Quest.

To be honest, I'd completely forgotten about it, it's been kind of busy this past, oh, I don't know year.

Personally, I thought maybe defeating the dragon would count, but no, Monmouth weighed in and the rules are quite clear - before my 25th birthday (as in ten days from now) I have to undertake and complete this Quest, otherwise...well...I'll become ineligible for the throne.

It sounds ridiculous I'm sure, but really...it's actually a very important event, I just think I should get a bit of an extension. I'm considering bringing it up, because it's a very involved process, I need to get in the right frame of mind, go through all manner of preparations, then go to the Throne Room and mediate all night until I figure out what Quest I'm meant to do.

I've got the guards the train and believe me, they need it.

Way more than I need a Quest, if you ask me.