Prince Arthur is having a dream.

Or perhaps a nightmare.

Question is, will he remember it when he awakes? And if he does, will it give him something to think about...

The Crown Prince joins Sir Lancelot for an after-training drink.

It's not as horribly awkward as Arthur feared...

Gwaine been drunk.

It's rather unkightly behaviour in all honesty, especially if he's going to stumble all over the place, but he makes such an amusing drunk I can't really punish him for it. He always seems to bounce back from it...so I can be certain he won't be skipping training tomorrow.

Today I visited Father, who is in a much better state than he was this time last week. Although that's not saying much, all it means really is instead of ranting and raving and sentencing himself to death he's silent, staring vacant eyed at...something. Sometimes he whispered something, but I couldn't make out what it was. I can't even be sure he recognised me.

At least he's eating again, thank God for small mercies.

Merlin has been in a strange mood this week...I mean stranger than usual, I'm not sure what his problem is exactly, I tried speaking to him about it today, but...well...

Maybe Guinevere can get it out of him...although when I'm with Guinevere the last thing on my mind is Merlin! But I should make a note to remember that...

Yes, those...other mes, they disappeared as quickly as they arrived.

I'm not sure what to make of the fact I managed to keep Merlin completely unaware of their presence, honestly, I think as a servant he could do better. Still this really wouldn't have been a good time for Merlin to get professional.

Of course, having to babysit...myself for a whole day meant I didn't see Guinevere at all. Not even so much as a glimpse across the courtyard!

That situation had to be rectified today, and I'm pleased to say it was. After all, a good knight always succeeds in his mission.

Gaius told me today that Father has remained bedridden since the incident a few days ago, it's not exactly good news, but at least he isn't talking to 'ghosts'. I'm steeling myself to visit him tomorrow, I can only hope that he'll recognise me, I just don't know what to do when he doesn't recognise me or is under the impression that I'm someone else.

But then that might be too much to hope...

I'd rather not think about it.

For what's currently going on.

I am forced to hide people in my own castle.

They are of course, not ordinary people.

They're...me.

Me as a child and me as an older man, a king. The King of Albion he says.

Which leads me to wonder if I'm going to go mad in my old age.

At first I didn't believe they were...me, because really of all the unbelievable things. But after a few questions I couldn't really deny it.

So now, I have to hide them and it's no easy feat keeping the younger me quiet, was I always such a pain?

The older me at least keeps quiet, but he keeps SMIRKING at me like I'm some sort of idiot. It's annoying.

According to the Duck people, this sort of thing happens all the time (just what I wanted to hear!) and they should go away eventually.

They better! Or God help me...

I could do without most of them, but this one in particular was awful, just awful. It was about Father, of course and how the chance of a full recovery was all but impossible, at least that was Gaius's opinion.

Which...well, is something he's never mentioned before, he hasn't exactly being optimistic about Father's condition of course, but he's never said there's no hope at all. It was like a blow from a lance.

And now the council is saying that a Regency Act has to be written and put into place sooner rather than later. Once this news gets out (as it no doubt will) I'll have no choice. I have to be Regent, I'm no longer temporarily filling in for my father, I am taking over from him.

Just writing this makes it all so...final.

Damnit.

Father's condition has deteriated once more, Gaius has informed me that he's halluncinating once again. He seemed to be under the impression that Lord Gorlois had returned. He kept talking about his own execution, just...ranting. I don't know. Part of me wishes I could have been there to help him...somehow, but the other part of me, God I don't want to see that, no-one needs to see that. I just wish...

And news like this is going to have to be passed on to the Council and no doubt they'll want to bring up the Regency Bill again. I suppose they have a good point, a mad king is no king at all.

But I just hate the very thought of it. This wasn't the way I wanted to become King.

I am not looking forward to tomorrow's Council Meeting...

I am currently taking care of a strangely behaved cat.

Still...better than a Council Meeting.

There was a Mirror in the castle today. A mirror that wasn't like any mirror I've ever seen. It reflected things...things I'd rather not think about right now. Or maybe ever.

Of course, it's obviously some sort of enchantment, but I wasn't really thinking straight when I saw it and by the time I was the damn thing had disappeared. God only knows where, no-one seems to know anything about it, if I didn't know better I'd think I had imagined it, but it's not the sort of thing you'd forget.

I just hope it hasn't fallen into the wrong hands, although I'm not sure what the wrong hands could do with it anyway.

If only what I saw in it was true

He actually recognised me today, but I don't think it made much of a difference. He seemed to be under the impression that I was...I don't know, not real exactly? He kept talking like I had died many many years ago and he thought I was a ghost haunting him or something.

Then towards the end of the hour he started talking like it was thirty years ago and he wasn't king, he kept calling me Gorlois. It was very...unsettling, Lord Gorlois reminds me of Morgana (he was her father after all, or I don't know...) and I don't need to be reminded of Morgana.

The very last thing Father said to me before I left his room was that there all the birds were dying and soon none would be left. I have no idea what that even means, neither did Gaius when I asked him, as far as he could recall there's never been a widespread death of birds in the kingdom.

Tomorrow the Council reconvenes with our invited guests, who Father doesn't even have a clue about what is happening.

Sometimes I think he never will...and I'll have to take that final step. A few more weeks and I'm sure the Council will really start pushing the Regent option.

I don't want to think about it.

After the high of winning the tournament (and the bizarreness that followed,ju as if what happened at the feast a few days ago - I'm a bit worried I might be hallucinating. Either that or this nexus thing is trying to drive me mad) I've had to go back to the Council Room.

Where I could have died of boredom today, really, I think it's a distinct possibility. I'm beginning to think I should have Merlin sit in on those meetings with me, if only to share the suffering. That's what a good servant does after all, share his master's burdens?

Plus the look on his face would really brighten up my day...

Possibilities...

The Crown Prince has successfully triumphed in the tournament.

Prince Arthur will not simply lie down and along other kingdoms to pick at Camelot.

Once again you can't depend on Merlin for anything.

No, no, I suppose I should be kinder to him, he is working rather hard, what with having to assist me in the tournament and then do all the cleaning and of course wearing that ridiculous hat. I shouldn't make him wear it, but really, it's hilarious. I need some entertainment when I'm trapped at the nightly celebratory feasts.

I suppose on the plus side, the kings and their best knights are enjoying themselves, even the two I've all ready fought and defeated.

There is an upside to all this, as I'm participating in the tournament (of course), the rest of the Council have been taking care of most of the boring negoiations. Of course I'm probably going to have to make an appearance once the tournament is over, but hopefully the other rulers will be thoroughly convinced that even if I'm not willing to declare myself regent, I'm still a force to be reckoned with.

A feast with the rulers and top knights of the kingdoms closest to Camelot...

Obviously it all goes wrong.

In the midst of mad preparations for the upcoming tournament, the Crown Prince's book decides to allow that bizarre community to communicate through it once more.

The Prince is very, very confused indeed...

Is basically...every chance I get for the next three days, the honoured 'guests' will be starting to arrive tomorrow, which probably means every chance I get won't be very much. Especially with Father still not much better, Gaius was hoping that a change in the weather might precipitate some change in his condition, but no luck there. So, I will have to take on all those meet and greet duties as well. There's not even Mor-

Merlin has taken to fussing over me, which is just bizarre, although it wouldn't be the first time, he seems absolutely convinced that he's supposed to be looking out for me. It's actually rather funny (and all right...maybe a bit touching) because God knows he can barely lift a sword. Still, I suppose it's the thought that counts.

All the same, I notice he hasn't bought my nightly fruit bowl in, is that too much to ask really? I have to tell him every second day it seems.

Which I best do now, maybe one day he'll learn.

This has been the best day I've had since Guinevere's birthday (for obvious reasons) and it's all thanks to training. There's nothing like getting your aggression out on your fellow knights or the practice dummy.

Unfortunately for me, Council Meetings are back in session tomorrow, honestly, is having more than a one day break too much to ask? It's enough to make me wish I was a horse again.

Actually, no, it's not. That was a dumb thing to write. The last thing I need is any kind of sorcery.

Unfortunately for the Council Meetings are beginning early tomorrow morning so now I have to sleep unless I want to sleep through them, which frankly I wouldn't mind doing, but Monmouth would never stand for it.

He's an ogre, really.

So last night I had the most disturbing nightmare...it took me a while to realise that it was in fact a dream, though I would have thought that Father in a jester's hat and Guinevere planning to challenge me to a duel would have made it obvious.

But no, in fact, I didn't notice for what seemed like hours. So embarrassing.

It's not surprising I would dream of the tournament, it begins in just one week and I've hardly had any time to train. I have to get onto that first thing tomorrow, which means I should probably go to bed now.

I just pray I won't have to suffer through yet another dream...