After the mess that was yesterday, I found some relaxation in that strange place - although yet again I have no idea how I wandered in there.

And for once I ran into someone wearing normal clothes, armour even!

Although the normal ended with the clothing, which I suppose isn't all that surprising. Still at least someone else was having a problem rather than me.

And Merlin cleaned my room very well indeed for once. I really should apologise to him for the other day, but then again...he might think I'm going soft, so maybe I'll just leave it be.

Besides he might collaspe from shock and we can't have that! It's ridiculously hard to get a half-decent servant...

No, I'll keep that to myself.

I'm think I may have figured out why Father was always so quick to send me out into the forest to hunt down...whatever, there's enchantments at work out there and I keep falling under them!

Yesterday's one was particularly cruel and unusual.

Singing...

I've had rhyming, I've had that strange accent, but never have I had to deal with singing everything.

The only piece of luck? It seemed to affect everyone, so at least I didn't need to suffer by myself this time.

Thank God it wore off before we all arrived back in Camelot, because I have no idea how we would have explained ourselves.

But, I really must remember...Gwaine has quite a high range.

Apart from only being able to sing, I had a dream a few nights, a very bizarre dream... I saw Morgana, which I suppose isn't that unusual, but she...well...it seemed different, like it was actually her.

But that's ridiculous. Impossible.

Still...there's things from that dream that make me think...

I need to speak to Guinevere tomorrow. It's been two days since I've seen her after all!

Now that the treaty negoiations are finished, I'm rather sorry to see him go, he's quite a brilliant hunter. It's nice to be challenged!

But he's needed back at Caerleon, so I'll be left with only Merlin for company on the hunt, if I can tear him away from his reading. Or maybe I should take Percival, for such a large man he's certainly quiet. Plus he'd probably be far more enthuisastic about it too.

I went to speak with Father once King Tewdrig left, same results as before, I doubt he heard a single word. I don't know what to do...he just...doesn't seem to be getting any better. As far as physical health goes, he barely eats, he was strong before all this happened, of course, but that won't last forever, he's all ready starting to get thinner and more and more drawn.

Gaius has said something about having to resort to force...but, well, I don't even want to think about doing that.It would just be...

This is depressing me.

I should ask Merlin to bring in dessert, I'm sure he'll think of some way to make terribly amusing. If not I'll just ask him about fairies again...

Yes, seeing as I was lucky enough (with help from Monmouth I suppose, though he's certainly never going to hear that from me) to reach an agreement with King Tewdrig and we survived the feast, today was dedicated to hunting!

And the weather was just perfect for it. I think I achieved a new personal best today!

However, my esteemed servant missed the whole thing.

To read a book on fairies...

I worry about him sometimes, I really do...

Still, it's rather amusing...Fairies, really?

My great plan to escape today's council meeting failed completely.

So it was yet another day of having my ear talked off.

I understand the need to negoiate but we've hardly got a word in edgewise! I don't know exactly what's wrong with this emissary, I can only assume he's never been able to speak before and now it's his big chance.

At least Merlin was decent enough to join me in my suffering. Which, you know, is really quite good of him.

Fortunately, I'm going to be able to train with the knights tomorrow, apparently the emissary wants to send a message to his King about how things are going thus far. I certainly hope he won't need a cart to carry the document!

Now, I'm going to enjoy some mead and fresh fruit. I've earned it!

My ears are killing me...that Emissary can talk!

I'm dreading tomorrow, because I'm quite sure he and Monmouth are going to engage in a talking match...

We may be in the council room for DAYS if that's the case.

I'm considering setting something up with Merlin and the Knights, some sort of...escape plan. Maybe they can come in and claim there's been some sort of disturbance? Apart from anything else I haven't trained in two days now! I don't want to get rusty.

I didn't even get to see Guinevere today except from a distance, it's cruel to do this to a man.

I'm sending a message to Gwaine, if anyone knows how to get out of difficult situations, he will.

I hope...

Yesterday's speech went surprisingly well...at the end the people where actually cheering my name!

Today went less well, when I received news this morning that Guinevere was in a deep sleep, one that even Gaius couldn't rouse her from. It goes without saying that I had to go to her directly, despite the council meeting. (Why there was even a council meeting today, I don't know, it's Beltane, a time for celebration for God sake!)

We...er...I managed to wake her up and all was well, although I'm sure to get an earful from Monmouth tomorrow, he's going to want to let me know everything I missed...in detail.

The bonfires are still going, in fact, tonight is when the Knights go out amongst the people, enjoy a few mugs of mead and just enjoy ourselves.

Which is I want I'm going to do now! Monmouth be damned!

That's the only reason I can think of for why all this is happening. After having my ears almost fall off yesterday I ended up in that nexus place this morning, there was some sort of hunt on and it's hard to resist a hunt. So I joined in, and what happend?

The second I found an egg I started floating.

FLOATING!

Floating for God's sake!

Obviously I couldn't go back to Camelot like that! It was all I could do not to float away! I was there for hours until someone had a very good idea that I just shove rocks in my pockets.

Which worked I guess... I'm still six inches off the ground however.

And I missed an entire day's worth of meetings...it's going to be fun trying to explain that.

I need to find a way to blame it Merlin, obviously.

My knights and Guinevere! And in a way, Morgana... If only because of the very strange happenings that have been going on and I don't just mean turning into Merlin.

Speaking of whom, I haven't seen him too much, after being stuck in his body I've been well not so eager to see him. Plus the Feast of Beltane celebrations have been taking up a lot my time.

And if that's not enough, at today's Council Lord Elgon brougt up the fact that with Cenred dead his kingdom is basically leaderless, at least according to reports. This could be a very big problem, even if their army was decimated. Cenred is a very big kingdom, I'm sure they could come up with some sort of mecenary group.

Plus, despite all the treaties, many of the older rulers could be sizing us up as well, we'll have to send out envoys to make it clear that we're still a strong kingdom.

Which...I have to convince myself of, while I'm at it.

Right now I just want to get through Beltane.

Which is a disturbing way to put it, but in this case it's true!

As quickly as it happened I was back in my body today, and thank God for that. If I'd had to put up with another day of being Merlin...

The first things I did was go and see Father, sadly he was much the same...I'm quite sure he didn't notice I hadn't been visiting. Will he ever get better?

I suppose I could be expecting too much...it's only been a fortnight or so, these things take time...I hope.

Merlin was just as relieved to be himself, apparently he had as much trouble with Monmouth as I've always had! I knew it wasn't just me personally.

This, of course, is something I'll get to experience myself tomorrow at the Council Meeting. I didn't miss that particular part of things.

But now I can hold Guinevere without it feeling strange! And I actually have arm strength.

All in all, I'd much rather be me!

I've been trapped in Merlin's body for three days now.

I've confided in Leon and Guinevere...more than one Guinevere in fact.

But the one thing that hasn't turned up? Any clues to who did this! I'm certain it's that Dragoon again, obviously he thinks that by putting Merlin in my body he can bring down all of Camelot. As a matter of fact though, he's not doing a bad job. At least nobody's accused him of not being me.

Although, should I take this as an insult? Can they really not tell it isn't me? Maybe they're brushing off any odd behaviour as being stress from all the talk of being made regent and Father's continuing stupour.

Father...I haven't been able to visit him...how could I? Like this... I don't imagine Merlin has either. I wonder if it makes any difference... Does he even know I'm there?

Well even if he doesn't I want to be able to visit him again...and you know, be myself!

Damn Dragoon.

For what has happened... I don't know who's responsible and why they did this...

But when I woke up I was Merlin... MERLIN!

And that's not all, he was ME!

He had to wear my clothes and go to my council meeting!

Whereas I got stuck with Gaius...who obviously thought I was Merlin so had no compunction ordering me to do his chores.

I was praying that everything would go back to normal...but here I am...still stuck in Merlin's body and probably going to have to sleep in his bed!

If I have to clean that leech tank...I swear...

It's incredible! When the sentry guard came with the news that a man was seen approaching Camelot, a knight, none of us believed it. Certainly we didn't think for a moment it could be Leon.

But it was! Uninjured! Alive!

He had the most incredible story to tell, that he was all but dead when a group of Druids came to his rescue (if I've ever regretted my actions against that group of people...) and nursed him back to health in mere hours with some sort of cup.

Unfortunately, I have no time to celebrate all this with him and the knights, I'm to leave tomorrow at dawn to track down the Druids. Father has ordered me to retrieve the cup that was used to cure Leon, apparently it's known as the Cup of Life and is extraordinarily dangerous. I have to admit I have a little trouble believe that, but according to Father it's been used for all sorts of unspeakable acts and the Druids can't possibly keep it safe.

I mightn't have agreed with him, until Leon mentioned the group had to assist him in sneaking back into Camelot from Cenred's kingdom. I doubt the Druids have any malicious plans, but if Cenred was to get hold of the Cup...It's definitely better off in the vaults of Camelot.

So Merlin and I are off at dawn, we'll go passed Guinevere's house on the way, just so I can say goodbye. Not that I doubt we'll be back, but it's a journey of at least three days I imagine.

Still, I wish I could have had more of a chance to welcome Leon back to the land of living. I can't believe it! Someone is watching out for him.

My voice has gone back to normal! I woke up this morning to Merlin mocking me with a Hibernian accent (he's quite good at it actually) and when I told him to "Shut up", I sounded...well... like me!

I was so excited about this, that over breakfast I actually agreed to attend a council meeting today. Which was pretty idiotic, but there you have it. So today was spent in the Meeting Room listening to the old councellors drone on and on...

It is however, nice enough for the windows to be opened and while I was looking out the window I saw Guinevere walking across the courtyard. A lovely sight! I would have liked to run down to greet her, but yes, obviously it couldn't be done.

Once I finally escaped from the Council Meeting I stumbled right into one of those multiverse things. Face to face with myself except of course it wasn't myself...One of those look-a-likes. How many people out there have my face? It's rather disturbing!

I certainly hope this sort of thing doesn't happen once the tournament begins, I need my full concentration for that! Current counts puts the competitor number at 30. That will be three days of one on one duelling, I'll need to be in peak shape for it.

That being the case, I'll be going to bed early, and rising early. And of course a lot of training to be done.

I wonder if Guinevere will be able to watch me train at all...I hope so.

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...

Training for the Great Tournament has begun!

It was...educational to see a lot of them training today, as I've said there's no minimum requirements for the Tournament so anyone can fight. And there's quite a few who probably should have stayed at home. Really I feel sorry for them! Particularly the ones who'll have to face me.

But that's the nature of the tournament.

Merlin of course is using every opportunity to moan about the so called 'ridiculousness' of this, but that's Merlin, he seems to think anything involving a sword is a waste of time. I really should be more offended, but Merlin in a huff is a hilarious sight so I've decided I'll just let him keep on at it.

What can I say it lessens my nerves

Speaking of which, I must make sure he has all my swords sharpened properly. He's done all right with my armour, but that could just be a fluke.

Merlin was in a fight. Merlin! My God, I'm sorry I missed it, I would have loved to see it. I mean he has been getting better at sword work (better for him I mean), but I can't imagine him throwing a punch with any sort of power or accuracy.

And he still hasn't cleaned my boots!

While I was out getting them more muddy (I'm not going to make it easy for him!) I ran into that Elboron fellow. He seemed rather more older than last time I saw him and had just recovered from a wound. I can sympathise with that!

Actually, I had a close call today, Leon almost took my eye out! Not that I can blame him for it, obviously the fualt was mine for being to slow at blocking the attack. Still, one never wants sharp objects near one's eye!

But I'll have to work on that, definitely, I certainly wouldn't want to be tripped up by something like that during the Tournanment.

Which I'll have a chance to do so tomorrow! So I better get a good night's rest.

Is always a welcome activity! Even though Merlin spent the whole day moaning. Honestly, he should be glad I didn't throw him in the stocks after his ridiculously poor effort at cleaning my room. Other people in this castle would have done far worse. I'm sure even Gaius would have made him clean a leech tank.

Anyway, take out Merlin's catwaulering and as I said, the day was amazing! I think we're in for a very warm summer.

On our return (with quite a haul of rabbits and a stag) however, I recieved a message from the council requesting me to look up some old records. Me! Sometimes I think these people have no idea who I am.

So yes, I went to see Monmouth and got the records and while I was going over them a gentleman clad in very strange clothes just wandered on in and commented about killing kings.

I really have no idea why anyone would say that, even idly! But seeing as it was a future!person. I suppose rules are different. Although he's not quite as far from the future as most of the people that place spits out.

It's extremely good luck that no-one ever happens to be around when this sort of thing happens, that's all I can say.

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...

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.