The Princes Players
Authors Note: Don't ask. Just don't. I have a reviewer who likes Mergana and I was listening to Brandy's Cinderella… The two put themselves together in my brain. With plot… and the need to see certain knights in dresses. I own nothing. I'm only using bits of the actual musical more of the story of Cinderella and a few of the songs. Reviews are loved!
1. Ridiculous
'This is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous.' Prince Arthur Pendragon thought, but only to himself lest he offend his 'host'. He was in truth being held against his will by a slightly unstable, in his opinion, queen who seemed to think that Arthur was her newest pet. He couldn't escape without causing a war but he really didn't want to stay. The queen had drugged him and moved him to a different castle the third night of their stay in her Queendom, well that's what she called it. His knights had yet to come to his rescue four days later! Now the Queen, her name was Beatrice but she insisted the nobles call her Be, had invited some group of actors to entertain them. Arthur would be getting an earful from Uther when he got out of this.
He had never even heard of this troupe before. They called themselves The Princes Players. What a ridiculous name. Arthur was lead to a seat in the great hall by four guards; four guards the size of Percival. Nobody messed with Percival for good reason, Arthur had gotten a very large bruise on his jaw from his first escape attempt. He sat down next to the queen, not that he had a choice.
"Oh isn't this exciting Prince Arthur!? They say these are some of the best players from Camelot!" Arthur stiffened, paying attention for the first time in four days.
"Camelot?" The queen, a slightly older lady with far too much makeup and a bit of a rounded face, pinched his cheek and grinned. Had it been a man he would have killed them on the spot but he didn't hit women. Though if this continued he may have to make an exception.
"Yes, silly boy! That's why I invited them! Now shush! It's starting!" A man dressed in a silver cloak, matching shirt and gold tunic stepped out to the middle of the room and began. His hood was raised and Arthur could not see his face but he recognized his voice.
"Impossible for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage. Impossible, for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage." Then he took both hands and lowered the hood confirming Arthur's suspicions. Lancelot smiled around at the room before continuing.
"A slipper made of gold is just a shoe, and dreamers never make their dreams come true. Impossible, simple as that. And yet this story is one of impossibilities. Here in we shall show you the life of a poor girl who, though love has never sought her out, still finds the beauty in the world." The curtain behind Lancelot rose and Arthur had to use all his training not to gasp in surprise. A dark mass of long black curls fell over a dress that was most certainly not hers as Morgana wandered dreamily through the set which did look as though it was a glimpse of a street. Then someone called out from across the room and entered through the door of the hall.
"Cinderella!" Three people entered and the room burst into laughter, even Arthur could not resist a chuckle. Gwen, dressed in a ridiculously frilly monstrosity, was followed by two people Arthur could not fail to recognize. Gwaine, wearing a lime green frilly dress with matching bustle flounced after the girl followed by Leon, who was dressed in pink and feathers.
"Have you ever seen such a lazy girl in all your life Ana?" Gwaine asked in a high squeaky voice pointing at Morgana, who next to them was dressed sensibly in her rags. Leon shook his head and flipped open a fan.
"Well I never! Mother! Mother! Can you believe how lazy she is!?" Gwen shook her head, seeming almost disdainful toward her mistress and friend.
"No. Why next to my girls she looks so dull and plain! Come along girls!" Then all four froze as Lancelot, who had simply stepped into the several people in the background when the play had begun stepped forward.
"Cinderella lived with her cruel stepmother and wicked stepsisters. Her father had died long ago after marrying the lady you see before you. No one's quite sure why he married her though." There was a laugh or two from the crowd and Lancelot continued.
"They treated her like a servant, worse in fact than most servants were treated. But she still kept her spirits high for she dreamed of one day meeting someone who loved her truly." He nodded toward the corner and music began to play and to Arthur's horror Morgana began to sing. Her voice was beautiful, he hadn't known that. But still that was his sister up there! Well she was like his sister anyway.
"The sweetest sounds I'll ever hear are still inside my head. The kindest words I'll ever know are waiting to be said. The most entrancing sight of all is yet for me to see. And the dearest love in all the world is waiting somewhere, is waiting somewhere, somewhere for me." Then to Arthurs utter shock someone he knew very well stepped out onto the makeshift stage.
"The sweetest sounds I'll ever hear are still inside my head. The kindest words I'll ever know are waiting to be said. The most entrancing sight of all is yet for me to see. And the dearest love in all the world is waiting somewhere, is waiting somewhere, somewhere for me." Then Merlin's voice was joined by Morgana's as the two seemed to purposefully avoid each other on stage. They seemed to have no inkling of their duets existence as they repeated the refrain.
Merlin was dressed in something close to his normal attire but the blue shirt and brown trousers were not worn or tattered. His voice was a soft tenor that melded wonderfully with Morgana's alto tune. Morgana balanced the packages she held well until a group of four men that Arthur had never seen before, dressed as knights, knocked into her causing the packages to tumble from her grasp. Merlin took notice of her then as she knelt to collect her things.
"Are you all right Miss?" He asked, quick to assist her with the several awkwardly shaped parcels. He grinned and handed over a hat that had fallen from its box. Arthur recognized it as the hat he had Merlin wear during large important functions. The same hat Merlin claimed to have lost after the last time he was forced to wear it. Then when she thanked him and took it he glared after the knights.
"Just like royalty isn't it? Thinking they can do whatever they want without regard for those around them." He very nearly glanced at Arthur but simply helped Morgana to her feet. She smiled slightly.
"Well I'm sure they had somewhere important to be." Merlin rolled his eyes.
"I doubt it." When she was on her feet fully the two seemed to get a good look at each other for the first time. There was silence in the room and Arthur could have sworn he saw a spark. Then Morgana spoke.
"Thanks for your help." She turned and began to walk away but Merlin quickly caught up to her.
"Wait, what's your name?"
"Cinderella." She said not turning to him.
"I beg your pardon." He hadn't heard her. She hesitated then turned to him.
"Cinderella." He raised an eyebrow and grinned. She blushed. Arthur was astounded. He'd never seen Morgana blush.
"I like to sit by the fire reading and you know how cinders like to fly around a bit. My face gets smudged." There were a few noises of approval from the audience at this image of sheer innocence. Merlin's face lit up the room when he smiled like that.
"Ah, Cinder-Ella. I like it." She shifted from foot to foot a little, looking downright nervous.
"It grows on you after a while. Sorry but I must go." Merlin, ever the petulant one, continued to follow her.
"Wait please, what must I do to find myself in your good graces Cinder Ella." He pronounced her name as if it were two words not one. She smiled a little deviously. That was more the Morgana Arthur knew.
"Who wants to know?" she asked, still leading him a merry way through the crowd. He was grinning from ear to ear now.
"Well I do." He replied cheekily and she smiled a little shyly in his direction.
"You seem a bit sure of yourself; you'd have to get to know me a lot better than just as some girl you met on the street." Merlin circled around in front of her forcing her to a startled stop.
"Oh but I would like to. Very much." Not looking where he was going he bumped into a flower cart that had just entered the stage. The crowd laughed at this clumsy charmer as he rebalanced the cart apologizing to the owner, another person unknown to Arthur. Morgana giggled a little.
"Oh my. I'm sorry but I must be going." Merlin followed like a puppy with the look of one in his eyes. "Besides I'm not sure if I want to get to know you. I wonder if you have any idea how a girl should be treated." He smiled still charming as ever.
"Like a princess of course." Morgana paused and looked at him.
"No, like a person. With kindness and respect." Merlin looked slightly taken aback at that and the crowd ohed at Morgana's bold statement. Then Merlin's grin was back.
"You're not like most girls are you?" Morgana looked slightly affronted.
"What do you mean?" She sounded hurt and a little angry.
"My apologies, I didn't mean to offend you. I just meant you are an independent thinker. I like that; it's not something most girls I meet do, think a lot I mean." Morgana's expression softened slightly but remained slightly affronted.
"Well you seem to have led a fairly sheltered life." Merlin sighed and nodded.
"You could say that. Every day the same thing. It's dull!" Morgana nodded.
"Sometimes you just want to run away…"
"And never come back." She finished for him. He grinned his lopsided grin again but the two were interrupted by Gwen and the cross-dressing knights who came up behind Merlin.
"I thought I told you never to talk to strangers!" Gwen chided loudly and Morgana hurried to her side apologizing quietly, her head lowered in shame.
"I hope I see you again." Merlin said smile still in place. "Cinder Ella." Then the four 'women' walked away Morgana glancing back over her shoulder with a smile. Once they were out of sight several of the men dressed as knights passed by again and Merlin ducked behind the flower cart he had almost knocked over earlier. He watched them go by and jumped when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Arthur recognized Bedavier dressed in a heavily buttoned tailcoat with a frown on his face.
"Found you, Sire." The crowd gasped. 'Ridiculous!' Was Arthurs only thought.