After Prince Caius's treatment I was absolutely terrified when, the next morning, a servant ran into the library with orders that I present myself to the Council Chambers directly.

For a brief moment I considered fleeing the city all together, I had been quite certain all the information I had supplied to Prince Caius's was correct, but his threat was vivid in my mind.

However there was no time for hesitation the servant looked ready to drag me to the Council Chambers if need be, so taking a nervous breath I hurried out from behind the desk and followed the messenger to what was quite possibly my doom.

On my arrival, however the most unlikely of events happened, at least as far as I was concerned. Rather than being berated, castigated or sentenced to any number of uncomfortable punishment the King announced that my services would be required for the with Cornwall as a scribe!

I regret that I did not react to this news by looking appropriately scholarly, in fact I'm quite certain I was positively slack jawed. I did however remember to make a bow and thank the King for this great privilege and it was indeed one, I wondered though why Cedas was not doing it.

My mentor answered that question for me when we met outside the Council Chambers once the King had dismissed us, I hadn't even noticed his presence!

"His Majesty is of the opinion I don't hear well enough anymore," Cedas huffed looking more than a little offended. "I made some clerical errors in the last minutes of a council. I had the cold at the time! I'm perfectly healthy now."

I was sympathetic to Cedas's feelings although I was worried at the same time, I had never been a scribe before, what if I was no good at it? It didn't bear thinking about, I made up my mind to try and get some practice in recording conversations.

Then I realised something. "Who will tutor Prince Uther while I'm in the meetings?"

Cedas gave a shrug. "No-one I'd assume and I don't imagine the prince will be complaining." I didn't either, although I was a little concerned, I had heard of councils that went on for months what would happen to the Prince's education in that case?

"I wouldn't worry too much, the lad can read and write decently enough, that puts him a few steps ahead of many of his peers. A week or two's break won't hurt him."

I had to hope that was true and I had to test myself to see if I really could be a decent scribe.

My test subjects were Gaius and Linus the physician, actually, I had just come to Gaius for some moral support, but when I heard him and Linus speaking I decided that was an opportunity that couldn't be ignored. Balancing my bit of parchment on the base of a column I got writing. I like to think I did rather well especially considering all the medical terms the two of them used. I was even beginning to enjoy myself when the two of them exited the Physician's Chambers and caught me hard at work.

"Geoffrey, what the Hell are you doing?" Gaius demanded when he saw me and I was so absorbed in my task I actually started writing that down before realising Gaius was talking to me.

I looked up quite sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just practicing." Linus was staring at me as if I'd completely lost my mind.

"For what exactly?" Gaius had folded his arms and was raising an eyebrow at me, it was something he did very well indeed.

"The King has asked that I be the official scribe during the meetings with the Duke of Cornwall. And...well...since I've never actually done such a thing before, I thought it best to get some practice in."

Linus gave a 'hmpf' and seemed satisified with this explanation and with a nod to Gaius headed off down the hallway.

Gaius meanwhile looked at me with some concern. “The King selected you to be scribe? You’ve barely been here a year!”

“A year and a half,” I was quick to say, not that really made all that much difference, I knew what Gaius was getting at and frankly I was quite mystified myself. “Maybe...Prince Uther said something? You know...positive.”

Gaius was looking at me as if I was mad and I had to concede that really that was a rather ridiculous suggestion, although I did feel the need to point out how he had come to my defense, so to speak, when Prince Caius was acting as though I was intruder in the library and when I did Gaius suddenly nodded.

“Well...there you go.” He shook his head. “You’ve ended up being part of one of the many games the Royal brothers’ play.”

“Games?”

"The Princes and even the King at times are in a constant battle to prove superority over one another. It's completely ridiculous, of course but there you have it. Unfortunately, it appears you have been elected to be a pawn in this round."

If there was a list of things one did not wish to hear at any point in their life that would have to be at the top. Becoming part of a royal game? And one that was clearly full of malice? What would happen if I failed? What even counted as failure to the Princes? I looked down at the parchment I'd been writing on, everything seemed to have become deadly serious.

"Do you - is this accurate?" I held the parchment out for Gaius to inspect.

He read it with care before making his judgement. "It's....passable."

My heart dropped, I had a feeling that wouldn't be good enough. "I have no experience with medical terms," I pointed out, hoping that would change things.

Gaius gave me a look that was pitying as well as friendly. "I can asure you that never in a million years would Linus have said that Lord Tiemore was nothing more than an irritating old bore, I'm quite sure he said he was a marvellous lord."

"Well, I was listening through a partially opened door," the idea occurred to me and I latched onto it tightly. "I'll hardly be doing thst during the council."

Gaius conceded the point, but still didn't look entirely convinced. "You need practice that much is certain and quickly, the Duke of Cornwall's party will arrive tomorrow, there will be a feast in the evening and the council will begin first thing the following morning."

I swallowed, I seemed nobility didn't mess around. I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves. "Seems I won't have a lot of time... I'll need your help, if you have time."

Gaius grinned, which wasn't a sight I'd seen in a while, he'd been rather withdrawn since Maxim's death. "What are friends for?"