Merlin scampered into the physician's quarters, and plonked his rucksack on a nearby table avoiding a load of test tubes and their contents. "Gaius, I'm back!"
Gaius emerged from behind a room separator with his usual severe facial expression, he drawled. "Ah Merlin my boy." The boy approached him cheerfully, his arms up eager for a hug which his foster uncle contently granted.
"Glad you're back, I need some assistance; I've had a new bookcase built, I need you to move it onto the landing and stock it up." Merlin let out a sigh and graciously manoeuvred towards the shelves. Gaius observed him through studious eyes.
"Wow, I've been back for one minute, and I'm already rearranging furniture." Merlin began to tug at the hunk of wood, letting out a groan of exhaustion. "Couldn't you have got something a little lighter?"
"Don't forget that's nearly a whole tree." Gaius chortled, continuing to watch Merlin struggle.
"I'll say... there's still roots on this thing."
Gaius let out a hiss of laughter before retorting."-Get a move on."
Morgana painted her lips ruby red with relish, the exertion made by the prince and his men had been a success and an extra large spread had been laid out. Another event where she had to suppress her hatred with a knowing smirk.
Mingling with the enemies was such good fun, dining with them needed so much more effort on her part, for she was always tempted to slip a thing or two into the wine or the gravy, and watch havoc break loose from the tapestries- while sipping her harmless beverage with glee.
Gwen manoeuvred around her dressing table tidying up as she went, her faithful trusting maidservant, who would unfortunately have to go if her premonitions kept relaying visions of her peasant ascending to the throne. Not if I can help it!
"My lady it is time."
She prepared her serene smile. "Of course, let's turn some heads." Gwen again was modest with her approach.
"Indeed you will Morgana."
Morgana had to hold off rolling her eyes at her maid's sweetness, it would surely make her rot.
They routinely left the chambers, Morgana briskly clomped ahead with Gwen in tow. Guinevere had not failed to notice the change in her friend and mistress, and that wasn't just the severe make-up, she detected an air of arrogance, something that didn't use to come so naturally to the lady. It did concern her greatly, she wondered if the previous year's events had taken its toll in the worse possible way, instead of being more cautious, wary and withdrawn, her lady seemed hard faced and threw herself into her courtly duties with the confidence of a man. Plus, her chamber manner was slightly tepid than what she had once known of her mistress, it was almost fake – as if she was squirming on the inside.
They approached the infamous double doors, and the guards moved swiftly into action, the doors opened and the two women glided in. Morgana approached Uther from the left, her sweet mask glued to her face as she took his hand before seating herself. The sound in the room amplified as her entrance past, everyone dropped courtesy and mingled. Without fail she noticed Arthur was late, his chair was empty and most importantly of all; the space behind the chair next to Gwen was unoccupied. The betrayer had not yet arrived.
Ah yes, the man she used to call friend, his ever going presence couldn't be sensed. Not that she really rewarded him with any acknowledgment, though her occasional glances discreet were not cold enough for her liking, she almost found them more heated, mostly with hatred she gathered. Strangely enough she could still depend on him to keep his mouth shut, and why was that? Fear, obedience, loyalty out of lust? This contemplation brought on a smirk, is he really so foolish to rely on his attraction alone to be faithful? That's if it were the case, she could be easily misinterpreting his sly fleeting looks and fake courteousness as just him being his normal manipulative self. It was obviously rubbing off.
The great doors opened and in Arthur walked with an earnest shroud from years of practice, followed by his benevolent manservant who strutted in step with his master all the way around the tables to Gwen's side. Morgana's eyes trailed on him throughout the journey from A to B almost daring him to look at her, alas, he did not. He appeared oblivious to the fact he was drawing so much attention from the sorceress. She noted his attire; the blue tunic, his red neckwear, his too long trousers tucked into his buckled boots – her eyes shot up -was that a new belt? Morgana didn't know how she noticed this small detail, it was irrelevant to anything and yet it was staring her in the face, mocking her, did he want her to notice that? She shook her head knowing she was jumping the dagger if she assumed her enemy was trying to impress. She turned to the front, and drained the last dregs of her wine, this was going to be a dull evening.
Morgana the witch was eating her rare steak, well nibbling...typical woman to be managing her figure while plotting everyone's death. He couldn't bear to look at her any longer so he tore his eyes away, and an audible huff of disgust escaped him and Gwen looked at her friend.
"Is there something wrong Merlin?"
His head snapped round so fast he nearly cracked his neck. "What? Oh-No, no nothing, I'm tired that's all."
Gwen gave him a look of sympathy, and brushed his elbow. "It doesn't look like you'll be here much longer." Gwen stated, Merlin hadn't a clue what she meant, Why is Morgana going to finish him off.
"What makes you think that?" He spoke out of the side of his mouth, so as not to draw his attention away from Arthur's nearly empty goblet.
"Arthur looks bored. Sir Leon has already left, Morgana has lost her appetite, again." Gwen's voice didn't have an air of concern to it, it sounded like she lacked the energy. Merlin wondered if any of Morgana's coldness had been inflicted on his friend, and for about a second he was euphoric, finally someone else to notice Morgana's evilness.
He dipped his head, and Guinevere seemed to leaned sideways as if sensing he was about to deliver a secret. "Have you noticed something different about her ladyship." He kept his voice low. Gwen snorted at his choice of word.
"-Ladyship?" Merlin made a little hiss to shush her, luckily the dinning guests were louder than them. "I believe there is a little change, I would say a little harder." Merlin gave a hum of approval, encouraging her to continue. "Well considering what she's been through, she's bound to be sterner."
"Has she been stern with you?" He whispered immediately.
"Not really, she just seems to be missing her kind wit, and warmness around ordinary people. We normally have a comfortable chat in the mornings over wine, now it's just awkward, and she has the need to rush me as if-"
"-She can't stand to be around you?" Merlin finished waiting for her reaction, she looked at him incredulously and he quickly added. "Sorry...but that's what you were aiming for wasn't it?" He finished rather severely and Gwen shifted from foot to foot.
"Honestly Merlin I think you're telepathic!" Merlin laughed half heartedly at this, seeing the irony in it all, clearly Gwen didn't thank God. He saw Arthur raise his goblet, and he jumped to the task of filling it. Arthur acknowledged him with wounded look, he's bored and drunk, great, he's going to be lolling about on the floor of his chambers not letting me dress him for bed. When he stepped in line with the maidservant she was bashfully giggling, he spotted her watching the Prince's decorum slowly deteriorating and he started to quietly chuckle.
"...You were saying about Morgana...?" Gwen pressured gently after recovering, side glancing at her mistress, he followed her eye line, Morgana's tresses were becoming untidy...Why the hell am I taking note of such things. He shook the vision out of his head and fixed Gwen with a look of empathy.
"Don't worry, we can talk about it later." Merlin said swishing the wine in the pitcher. "If you like, we can discuss Arthur as well?" He snuck her a crooked grin which had her bubbling with affection for the boy.
She elbowed his scrawny frame teasingly. "How you don't have a girlfriend I'll never know?"
"Did you say you'll never know?" Merlin asked darkly before smirking at Gwen's raised eyebrows. "You're on my list Guinevere. Your cooking skills make you my number one." Gwen shoved him warmly at that point nearly spilling some of the wine, he composed himself when Uther, and to his dissatisfaction; Morgana looked around to see the commotion, Uther returned to his guests while Morgana kept her steely eyes on Merlin, they weren't cold just blank- after what seemed like a minute she had come to realise Guinevere was eyeballing from one to the other slightly miffed, Morgana was the first to break contact and turned to talk to Uther about something unrelated.
Gwen grabbed his arm like a child, Do people enjoy touching me or something? "Did you see that?" She used a hushed tone.
"Yes , course I did, it was very..." Gwen hung on for his word. It nearly didn't come.
Gwen finally piped in. "Unnerving?" Damn he would have to agree on her with that. He hadn't necessarily been on edge with that look, he had felt almost submissive, almost as if he was letting her read him; his indifference to her or to punish her with his silence and no courtesy, and for some unknown reason...he had won.
Please r&r..it is appreciated!
