As a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and a fan of Merlin I've decided to combine the two.

Merlin belongs to the BBC and its creators.

Romeo and Juliet belong to William Shakespeare.

A Push in the Right Direction

Arthur Pendragon didn't know much about different actresses but he did know that Guinevere Leodegrance was an ice queen and could even be a bitch. He had tried everything he knew to become friends with her and nothing had worked. He had plenty of women chasing after him but the only woman he wanted ignored his very existence.

Guinevere Leodegrance had dismissed Arthur Pendragon from the moment he'd swaggered into acting class. He was ridiculously good looking with his blonde hair, blue eyes and athletic physique. It was obvious to her that he didn't take acting seriously it was only a second choice from playing football. She didn't have time for men who thought more of their looks than of others. As a result she'd rebuffed every one of his advances much to all of their friends' amusement.

'Seriously Arthur you need to let it go, Gwen is never going to give you a chance,' commented Merlin at lunchtime in the cafeteria following Arthur's gaze. Merlin was also in acting school with them and was Gwen's flatmate. This meant that Arthur had every reason to stay at Gwen's flat as often as he could by visiting Merlin.

'Why do you think she hates me so much?' Arthur questioned.

'Maybe it's the fact that every time you see her you act like an idiot,' Merlin replied who found Arthur's behavior funny. Arthur Pendragon who had women clamoring to get his attention turned into the village idiot whenever Gwen was around.

'I just do that to get a reaction out of her she's so serious all the time.'

'Well that is the problem she thinks you're not serious about acting school because you act the joker all the time,' Merlin replied.

'But I am serious about acting it's why I stopped playing football. I gave up that career because I wanted to become an actor.'

'Well Gwen certainly doesn't think that. She thinks it was just a back- up plan for you, just a second choice something to fall back on if your football career fell though. Maybe you need to explain to her what happened and she'll give you a chance to talk to her.'

'She never gives me the chance to talk to her she either just ignores me which makes me do something stupid to get her attention or she just walks away.'

'Well tonight is her birthday we are all going to the student bar to celebrate why don't you come along and see if after a couple of drinks you can get her to listen to you,' Merlin invited.

'Okay thanks I'll see you later.'

'Your idiot brother is staring at me again,' Guinevere Leodegrance commented to her best friend Morgana Pendragon.

'Oh come on Gwen can't you see the boy is dying for you to pay attention to him.'

'He has enough women paying attention to him he doesn't need me falling at his feet.'

'You're the only woman he wants paying attention to him,' Morgana responded.

'Well that is not going to happen. He can't act serious around me for one moment he is always playing the joker. He isn't serious about becoming an actor it is only a second choice for him. He makes fun of me all the time and about me becoming an actor,' Gwen responded truthfully. 'It makes me distrustful of him.'

'He's always been the joker but I think he is serious about becoming an actor. Why else would he leave a successful football career?' Morgana questioned. 'Anyways forget about my idiot brother for one night. It's your birthday and we are going out tonight so put on your finest and we'll go down to the student bar.'

With their evening settled they went off to classes. Gwen went off to her acting class which unfortunately she had with Arthur. This term they were going to do a major theatre production. They didn't know which play it was but Gwen had a feeling it was going to be a Shakespearean play.

When Gwen arrived in class Arthur was already there allowing Gwen to sit as far away from him as possible. She waited patiently for Miss D'Arcy to arrive, the teacher swept into the class with a bundle of papers which Gwen knew were the scripts to the play they would be doing.

Miss D'Arcy placed her papers down on the desk and announced, 'as many of you know this term we will be performing a play for the school. I've decided to do one of William Shakespeare's most famous tragedies.'

Gwen ran through the plays in her head there were a lot of famous Shakespeare tragedies—which one would it be?

'We will be doing Romeo and Juliet one of my favourite plays.'

This was also one of Gwen's favourite plays she enjoyed the mix of drama, humour, romance and tragedy in one play. Now to find out who would be acting the parts?

'After much consideration I have already decided who will play the leading roles. Guinevere Leodegrance you are to play Juliet and Arthur Pendragon you are to play Romeo.'

Gwen's mouth dropped in horror while Arthur's lips curled up into a smile.

Gwen was horrified she couldn't believe she would have to act in love with Arthur Pendragon and kiss him.

Arthur thought this was the chance of a lifetime he would have the chance to hold and kiss Gwen every time they acted out a scene together.

Miss D'Arcy went on to announce the rest of the cast but all Gwen could hear was a buzzing in her ears. How was she to survive this? What a wonderful birthday present she thought sarcastically. She couldn't wait to leave class and fortify herself with her birthday drinks.