High King Uther summons a high council of the kings of Britain at Glevum. Morgan is summoned to represent the still absent Merlin and Nimue joins her, accompanied by Derfel. The tension between the British kingdoms is made clear as King Gorfyddyd of Powys does not attend and King Gundleus of Siluria is tardy. Uther makes it clear that no man other than his grandson Mordred will sit on the throne of Dumnonia. Since Mordred is only a baby, Uther appoints three guardians – King Tewdric of Gwent; Owain, Uther's champion of Dumnonia; and Merlin – and also a foster father to Mordred, who will marry the Princess Norwenna. Agricola, champion of Gwent, proposes Arthur, but Uther disowns Arthur as his son. King Gundleus is then appointed as Mordred's guardian and marries Norwenna. After Tewdric and Owain give their oaths as guardians, Morgan insists that Merlin will only take the oath if Arthur is appointed as a guardian, a demand Uther reluctantly accepts after Tewdric backs up Morgan. After Uther dies, Mordred, still only a baby, is pronounced King of Dumnonia. He is not, however, High King, because that title can only be given to a king accepted as higher than the other British kings; nor is he the Pendragon, as that title is only given to a High King who wins his rank in battle.