Merlin bowed before the throne. “You summoned me, Your Majesty?”

Uther Pendragon nodded, his eyes shaded by his furrowed brows.

“Merlin, son of none, are you not my court seer?”

“And ever loyal to king and country, Your Majesty.”

“Are you not a seer?”

“I am that, Your Majesty.”

“Can you not see everything before it happens?”

“For many centuries, Your Majesty.”

The king harrumphed. “And did you not foresee that none of my line would inherit my throne?”

“I did, Your Majesty.”

“Did you not say that my cousin Constantine was to be king after me?”

“I did, Your Majesty.”

“Did you not tell your king that he would not pass down his seed?”

“I did, Your Majesty.”

Uther harrumphed again. “Then explain how it is that the queen is with child!”

“Begging your majesty’s pardon, but the queen is not with child.”

“Do you dare call your king a liar?”

“May my tongue be cut from my mouth and may I be hanged, drawn, and quartered before ever I make such an accusation of your majesty!” said Merlin. “But your majesty is mistaken.”

“Do you think I cannot tell when a woman is with child?”

“Your Majesty, if the queen were with child, I would have foreseen it.”

“And yet the queen is with child, nearly three months along now. Explain this!”

“Begging your majesty’s pardon, but is it not obvious? The queen has been defiled.”

The Pendragon rose. “Do you suggest that the child in the queen’s womb is not the king’s, but a bastard?”

“Begging your majesty’s pardon, but was not the queen married before?”

“To Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, before I slew him in battle. What of it?”

“And was that battle not two months ago?”

“It was. Get to the point.”

“Begging your majesty’s pardon, but is the point not obvious? The child in the queen’s womb is that of the late duke.”

Uther harrumphed. “Do you think your king a fool?”

“May I be hanged, drawn, and quartered before ever I have such an evil thought of Your Majesty!” said the wizard.

“I have looked deeply into this matter already. The healers and midwives are unanimous: the child in the queen’s womb was conceived three months ago. And all witnesses of the time are unanimous: while he lived, the duke did not know his wife at the time this child was conceived. I, and I alone, knew her.”

“Begging your majesty’s pardon, but they are all mistaken, or else they lie. If the child in the queen’s womb were the king’s, I would have foreseen it.”

Uther Pendragon sat down. “Merlin, you know the law. When two witnesses agree, they tell the truth unless it is proven otherwise. Can you produce a second witness to swear to what you say?”

“I cannot, your majesty. But it is true nonetheless.”

“You know the law. If one man makes a claim, he tells not the truth. The law says that you tell not the truth, but that you falsely call the king’s child not his. You know the penalty for such slander.”

“I do, Your Majesty. And had I committed slander, I would confess and gladly accept my sentence. But my words are true.”

The Pendragon’s face turned red. “The only thing that could possibly save your life, Merlin, is if you are mad. A madman bears no responsibility for his ravings.”

“What you say is true, Your Majesty. But I am not mad, and I have not been raving. I take full responsibility for my words.”

“Then you have as much as pled guilty to slander upon royalty, though you refuse to admit it. What need then of a trial?”

“I have only spoken the truth, Your Majesty. It is impossible that your majesty has conceived a child and I have not foreseen it. I am a soothsayer and prognosticator. I cannot be blinded to the future.”

“Since you persist, you will be executed at dawn. Guards, take this false seer to the dungeon.”

********

The night before Merlin’s execution, the king was troubled by a dream.

He saw his son, Arthur, mortally wounded and spirited away by three ladies across the sea.

He saw Merlin, whose back was to this sight.

“Uther! Uther!” said a voice.

“Here I am.”

“Do not execute Merlin. Though blinded by pride, he could not foresee your son. He foresees only the dead, and your son will not die. He will be the Once and Future King.”