===Artoria Pendragon five days after reaching Camelot with the Boy===
"Your Majesty, I must object. You can't take someone like that into your household!" A man exclaimed, standing in his booth.
Artoria was seated on her Throne with her helmet on, looking at the gathered nobility around her.
Her Throne room was designed in a manner in which each Noble house was granted at booth that was build into both walls leading down the great hall.
The Nobility closest to her would be the most prominent houses, while the farthest would be the most inconsequential Nobility.
The man who had just shouted was near the front, an enormous man, as fat as he was proud.
He had greasy slicked back blond hair, with a small mustache. He wore lavish robes, and was using a golden cane that had jewelry embedded in its length.
Artoria had been observing the boy she had brought back with her, and only Mordred had been able to coax the young Boy to release his death grip off of Artoria.
Seeing Mordred take a curious interest in the Boy, she believed that adopting him into her household would be a good idea. She had noticed his incredible strength, just at the age of three or four, and knew that with the right training, he could become an extremely powerful asset.
"What about one of us bringing him into our household? You surely have many things to do then look after some slave born brat." Another Noble said.
"Oh yes!" Marquess Grasso said, pointing a fat finger at the Noble that had spoken.
"A grand idea indeed!" He finished beginning to wobble because he had been standing for too long.
"Enough." The King's hard distorted voice said, ringing down the hall.
"I have thought this through, and I WILL be taking him into my household." She said, silencing the Nobility.
She stood up from her Throne, and began to walk out through the door behind her, Merlin following after her.
At her departure, every other Noble stood, and departed. All but one.
"That stupid bastard, how dare he ignore me." Marquess Grasso said to his attendant.
"He'll get what's coming to him." He said as he wobbled away.
Artoria walked down the long hallway with her mentor, silencing lingering between the two of them before Merlin broke it.
"I agree with your decision, Artoria." He said quietly.
She almost lost her footing when he called her by name before looking back at him.
"You dare call me that? HERE?" She hissed.
"Oh please. No one is here but the two of us." He said, walking past her.
"Well, other than your sister, Mordred, and the Boy." He said playfully.
Artoria wiped a hand down her helmeted face out of habit before continuing walking.
"What can you tell me of the child?" She asked.
"Many things, but I doubt you will understand many of them." He said with a smile.
"First, he is still extremely young. Probably four years old." He began.
"Also, I can't tell what his bloodline is, meaning it must be a very special one." He lied. He knew exactly what the young boy's bloodline was.
"One thing I know for certain though, is that he has incredible physical strength. It's like he was blessed by the earth herself. Most extraordinary." He finished before the two came to a large heavy wooden door.
He knocked twice before opening it, leading Artoria into a room with medical and magical equipment.
There was a large bed on one end with the young boy laying face down in it, his back completely exposed.
Two other figures were in the room, one being Mordred, her hair cut short to make her look more masculine. She was seated on one of the chairs by the bed, her little legs swaying back and forth as she babbled to the Boy on the bed.
The other was Morgan.
Artoria stopped at the sight of her, and greeted her coldly.
"Morgan. I hope you're not conducting experiments on our young ward here." She said while looking from her sister over to the young boy.
"Of course I am. Why do you think I'm here? To help you?" Morgan said, her voice cold as well.
"My, you two are just joys to be around when you are together!" Merlin said, walking next to the boy's side before examining his back.
"Have you figured out why no healing magic is able to help him?" He asked, turning to look at Morgan.
"I think I've found something." She said, shooting one last glare at Artoria before turning to the work table with medical and magical equipment.
"I've examined his back thoroughly, and found this." She said, holding a glass tube up for them to see.
Inside was a coarse hair, and a small fragment of bone, as well as a small piece of metal.
"I presume that these are fragments of the whip that was used on the child. And I have learned that this particular whip had been enchanted with some sort of magical property that prevents wounds inflicted with it from healing." She said before setting the vial down.
"That's why he can't be healed. A powerful enchantment is preventing it. And I'm afraid that the brand on his back is something that will affect him for the rest of his life. Healing magic will never work on him." She finished.
"Can you determine a way to counter it?" Artoria asked.
"Don't you think I would have done that already?" Morgan asked hotily.
"Will you two stop?" Merlin asked, looking between the two sisters.
Morgan took a deep breath before answering once more.
"No, my beloved sister, I haven't found a way to counter the effects. I would need to study the weapon these fragments came from in order to do that." She replied.
The room fell into silence before the child began to move, causing Morgan to go to his side.
The child whispered something to her, and she turned to the table beside the bed. She poured a cup of water from a pitcher before helping the child to drink from it.
Artoria watched this, noting how her sister, who had a sadistic side, also had a caring side as well. She watched as she helped the young boy with his back, and how she cared for him while changing some of the bandages.
"Does he have a name?" Artoria asked.
Morgan looked down at the boy and asked him the same question in a quiet voice, but shook her head as she looked up at Artoria.
Artoria was prepared for this moment, as she had been thinking of this ever since he had been brought here. This was the first time he had been strong enough to respond after the first day, so they didn't know if he had a name.
"Very well. He shall be called Godrick from this moment on." She said, seeing Merlin open his mouth to suggest something.
"What is it?" Artoria asked.
"Nothing. I like the name." He responded, shaking his head slightly.
He had been about to suggest the boys real name, but thought this might be better to hide him.
Artoria nodded before making her way to the door.
"Notify me when he is well enough to speak. I need to discuss things with young Godrick here when he is." She said before walking from the room.
===One week later===
Artoria sat in the chair next to the young boy Godrick. He was now sitting up in the bed he had been provided, and was staring at Artoria with his big blue eyes that had a golden ring inside the iris.
"What do you think of that?" Artoria asked him, having just asked if he wanted to stay with her, Mordred, and Morgan.
"I'm hungry." He said, completely ignoring her question.
"Of course you are." Artoria sighed, bowing her head in defeat.
"Do you think you can walk with me to the kitchen?" She asked, standing and holding her hand out for him.
She knew he should be resting, but he should walk around a little bit as well. He gingerly got out of the massive bed, slowly crawling to the edge of it before he lowered himself off the side, his little legs dangling off before he dropped down.
He gave a little hiss as he stayed there for a moment, letting the pain go away before turning around.
He looked up at Artoria, who was wearing her helmet, and curiously took her hand before she led him from the room slowly.
"What are those?" He asked as she led him down the long wide corridor. He used his free hand to point at multiple sets of armor along the wall, as well as the weapons hung on them as well.
Artoria explained their purposes of being decorations before the inevitable curiosity of the child made him ask the accursed question.
"Why?"
"Because, we like them." Artoria answered.
"Why?" Was his response.
Artoria just hung her head again muttering to herself.
"This is going to be a long trip."
"Why?"
===Godrick one year later===
A five year old Godrick and Mordred ran through the halls of the castle, wreaking havoc on everything they came into contact with.
Godrick held a sword that was far too large for him, dragging it across the expensive carpet behind him, but he didn't care one bit.
"STOP!" One of the maids said, running after the pair.
Laughter filled the air as the two ran, bumping into expensive pedestals which held even more expensive items.
Sounds of glass and pottery shattering followed them before a particular turn came into view.
Godrick took the turn to fast, and the sword he was dragging caught on part of the carpet, causing the young boy to trip and fall into the massive set of armor just around the corner.
The maid heard a loud crash, and ran faster in a panic before turning the corner.
She saw the massive set of armor in pieces, the helmet comedically landing backwards on Godrick's head. Mordred was trying to pry the mass of metal off of him, but it was to no avail.
"THAT'S IT!" The maid shrieked, walking over and twisting the helmet off the young boy's head before grabbing them both by the ear.
"OW OW OW OW OW!" The two of them said as the maid dragged them down the hall.
The burst through one of the doors along another hallway, throwing the two children inside before slamming it shut.
"My Lady?!" She called out, desperation in her voice.
"One moment!" Morgan's voice came from the other room.
Desperate to get out of trouble, Godrick ran past the maid into the other room where he heard Morgan's voice from, and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what was on the other side.
Two women were in what looked like a bathroom. One was Morgan, who held a thread and needle in her hands. And the other was a woman Godrick had never seen before.
She had long golden hair, the same color as his. Her eyes were a beautiful forest green, and her shoulders were bare for Morgan, who was using the thread and needle to stitch something up.
Godrick's eyes went wide as saucers as he saw the familiar armor and helmet on a nearby table, having been discarded for the moment.
"GET OUT!" Artoria yelled, shocked at him staring at her.
Fear overtook his face as he back peddled out of the room, sprinting towards the door, which was soon blocked by the maid.
Movement was heard from the other room before The King came out wearing the armor.
"Leave us!" The King commanded, practically forcing the maid out of the room before turning to the two children.
Godrick had moved to one of the corners of the room, trying to make himself look as small as he could as he covered his head with his hands.
"I- I'm s- sorry! Please don't punish me!" He said, panic clear in his voice.
Artoria closed her eyes behind her helmet, remembering that she had to be gentle with him for the moment.
There had been times that one of the maids had chided him for some small mistake, and he had burst out in tears, fearful of being punished.
Clearly, the family he had been with before the massacre at the village was cruel to the little boy.
He had made leaps and bounds in his progress of his traumas, but this had been the first time Artoria had ever yelled at him.
She gave a long sigh before turning around, and locking the door before she reached up with both hands and removed her helmet.
She grabbed one of the chairs in the room while setting her helmet down on the table next to it, and sat down.
"Godrick, come here." She commanded gently.
He was visibly shaking, but he did as he was told, gingerly coming over to her.
She held her hands out and picked him up by his armpits before setting him down on her lap.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." She said, wiping his tears away.
"You're a girl?" He asked innocently.
"Yes, but you must not ever reveal that, do you understand me?" She said strongly.
"Why?" He asked.
Artoria groaned as her head fell backwards, hearing the accursed question.
"Because I said so, how about that?" Artoria said, looking back at him.
"Why?" He said.
"Godrick!" She said, grabbing him by the arm and shaking him gently, but forcefully.
Fear overcame his face once more as he looked into her eyes.
"I know you don't understand. But you have to promise me that you will never say anything about this to anyone, do you understand?" She said.
He vigorously nodded his head, eyes still wide as he looked into her face.
"What did I just say?" She asked him.
"I can't tell anyone you're a girl!" He said in his childish voice.
She let out a breath she was holding, and gave a faint smile.
"Good. Very good." She said before leaning in and giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
He seemed to melt into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her.
"Does that mean I can stop pretending too?" Mordred asked, drawing Godrick's attention to her.
He gave her a horrified look before looking up to Morgan, who stared down at him.
"Does she have cooties!?!" He asked in a panic, pointing over to Mordred.