Oh, you're right, I forgot that the dragon flew them to the lake. But they were headed there anyway, iirc, to heal Arthur. He collapsed and died before he got there, but Gaius knew that's where they were going, and that's where Gwaine would have sent Morgana, I think. She just found them before they arrived.

I was thinking they'd have to be tracing through the genealogical lines to find the closest blood relative to Arthur. I'm not sure if Uther took the throne, so much as created Camelot and declared himself king. My impression is that he sort of tamed and organized the land, or maybe his father did. I wonder if Arthur would have left any sort of decree that Gwen be the ruler in her own stead? Morgana seemed pretty certain that Gwen would inherit when she enchanted her, but Morgana's concept of reality is distorted at best.

My story at the moment is basically 'we have lost half our men, there's no heir to the throne, and that servant guy who always saves the day is missing' and how they're working to rebuild. I wanted Merlin to go home to Ealdor for a bit, and ultimately decide to return to Camelot, but not right away.