The next night there was to be a banquet to celebrate King Uthers birthday. Merlin was to be in Arthur's chambers to help him prepare, and Gwen was to be in Morgana's chambers to help her. As Merlin reached the door to Arthurs chambers, putting his hand on the door knob, another hand landed on top of his reaching for the same knob.
"Gwen! You are supposed to be with Morgana, why are you here?" Asked Merlin, very surprised to see Gwen turning up to see Arthur, why would she want to see him?
"Merlin I just wanted a little talk with Arthur about….. something," Gwen paused, blushing, and shyly turning her head away, she didn't want Merlin to know why she was there, she may have trusted him a lot but she didn't want him knowing. Unfortunately for her, Merlin had already clocked onto why she was there.
"Gwen, are you and Arthur, you know, together?" asked Merlin. Gwen looked scared and shocked when she realised Merlin had figured it out, and went frantic.
"Merlin don't tell anyone please, I beg of you, Uthers won't approve. I will be thrown out I can't have that Merlins!" She said very quickly and frantically, holding Merlins arm, looking as though she were about to cry. Merlin looked at her with kindness in his eyes.
"Gwen don't worry I won't tell anyone, you are my friend!" Smiled Merlin "and if you want a few minutes with Arthur then I will leave for a minute then come back."
"Thank you Merlin," smiled Gwen, drying her eyes and opening the door to the room. Merlin gave a grin, he knew exactly where he was going. If Gwen was with Arthur, he would go to Morgana. He bolted down the corridor, almost knocking over a few maids carrying food for the birthday banquet, and continued till he reached the chambers of lady Morgana.
He knocked on the door and a very shocked Morgana opened it.
"Merlin, where is Gwen?" She asked, her voice showing concern of where her maid was, but her eyes seemed to show that she was happy he was there.
"She is with Arthur so we have a few minutes alone," he smiled, stepping forward into the room, cupping her face with his hand, and slowly placing his lips onto her, kissing her. His lips slowly made their way down to her neck, where he kissed trails of kisses down it, before pressing her against the wall and devouring her mouth one more. At just that moment they heard the creak of the door, and heard it swing open, and footsteps.
"Sorry I'm late my lady I just…." She stopped as she turned round the corner, she saw them kissing in the corner and paused, as they turned around to face her, and saw the shocked expression on her face. Everyone stopped and paused, not knowing what to say. It was a very awkward situation.
"So this is the man who has made you so happy! Merlin!" Said Gwen, shocked that it was him. She was thinking it would be some handsome nobleman, but not Merlin.
"Gwen you can't say anything, I mean, I'm not saying anything for you!" Said Merlin
"Merlin we are friends, and besides if you make Morgana happy, then I don't mind," smiled Gwen, knowing this would be a good thing for Morgana.
"Wait what are you hiding Gwen…" She paused for thought, before her eyes almost popped out of her head. "You and Arthur, that's what you are hiding!" Gwen let out a loud sigh, she didn't understand how people were figuring it out so quickly, was it that obvious, she thought that they were being quite subtle.
"Well I had better go my lady, the clot pole will be waiting for me!" He chuckled, giving Morgana a peck on the lips, and then kissing her hand, before leaving her in her room with Gwen. She instantly turned to Morgana.
"Now if you really want to impress Merlin at this dinner," she started, walking over to the wardrobe and going through her dresses before pulling out a long elegant purple dress, "I suggest that you wear this one."
Meanwhile in Arthur's room…..
"Merlin why are you so late!" Shouted Arthur once Merlin walked into the room, Merlin thought he would have been in a good mood after speaking to Gwen but obviously he wasn't.
"I'm sorry Arthur, I just lost track of time and….." Arthur stopped him right his tracks of lying.
"You lost track of time, you lost track of time!" He repeated twice in a very angry and frustrated tone of voice, "you know what that is such a lame excuse Merlin, and you know what I'm thinking that you were in the tavern like the usual, that's where Gaius tells me you are when you don't turn up or are late, you could have told me that, the truth , but no you chose a lame excuse!" Arthur continued his rant, and Merlin didn't pay attention to hardly any of it, he just stood there staring into a space.
"Merlin are you listening to me!" he screeched, throwing a vase at his head as Merlin jolted forward and put his hand to his head he shouted "ouch!"
"Finally I've got your attention have I!" He said angrily as Merlin turned around to face him
"Well you didn't have to do it like that!" He moaned rubbing he back of his throbbing head.
"I don't care Merlin, now please get me dressed, I have to look my best!" Said Arthur in a slightly calmer voice than before, as Merlin rushed to his wardrobe and began flipping through he clothes.
"Yes clot pole!" He muttered under his breath whilst looking through the clothes, but he hadn't realised Arthur with his big ears had heard every word of what he said, and his eyes began to seer into the back of Merlin's head.
"What did you just call me Merlin?" Asked Arthur, in angry tone of voice. Merlin paused and quickly went through his head to try to think of something to say.
"I said yes great prince!" Said Merlin in an extremely guilty voice, giving away the fact he was lying, he was such a bad lier. But Arthur already knew what he had said.
"No you said yes clot pole, what did I tell you about calling me a clot pole, that you shouldn't do it!" Shouted Arthur glaring at Merlin once he turned around holding his clothes.
"Wow someone's in a bad mood today, cant even take a little joke!" Merlin muttered, as he had noticed Arthur was much worse than he usually was when it came to shouting at him.
"I can't take a joke, of course I can Merlin!" He shouted, whacking him over the head with his hand. "Now shut up!" He shouted down his ear. They got ready for the banquet in silence after that.
2 hours later…
Merlin stood next to Arthur in the great hall. The table was just being given its finishing touches, and all the guests were just arriving. Kings and Queens from all the kingdoms arrived, some even bringing their children to the big occasion. Little 5 year olds scurried around below his feet, and seemed to be annoying all the guests they went near from the faces the people were pulling, but none of them said a single word. They obviously didn't want to seem rude. As the guests flooded in, Merlin saw one of whom he recognised, he saw Morgana walk in. His jaw dropped, she looked absolutely stunning. She wore a long purple dress, touching the floor, with her hair down and flowing down her back so beautifully. No one else but him seemed to have noticed her stunning beauty once she had walked into the room. Morgana walked right over to where Arthur and Merlin stood.
"Arthur, Merlin, you both look wonderful," she smiled at them, giving Merlin a little wink when she noticed that Arthur wasn't looking.
"Well you also look stunning Morgana don't you agree Arthur," said Merlin, nudging his friend, who seemed to be keeping his watchful eye on Gwen.
"Ouch, I mean yes I agree with Merlin!" Stuttered Arthur, trying to seem like he had actually be paying attention to the conversation.
"Well boys, I think almost everyone is here, I'm going to take a seat, Arthur care to join me," she smiled, beckoning to him to go and sit down. Arthur nodded and followed her to his seat whilst Morgana turned around to blow Merlin a kiss subtly. Merlin blushed bright red, and moved over to the corner of the room so no one would notice.
"I think you should be over there boy," said a voice behind him, Merlin felt a hand on his shoulder, almost pushing him over to the table. He turned around and was surprised to discover that it was Uther who stood behind him.
"Oh I'm sorry your majesty," said Merlin very politely, he didn't want the King to think ill of him.
"It is alright, now I suggest you go stand behind the table so you can help pour out some drinks," he laughed, pushing him towards the table, then muttering to himself once he had gone "that boy can be such an idiot!"
Merlin walked up to a small table where a load of jugs, and food platters were all laid out next to one another. He picked up a jug and walked over to the table where all the guests had begun to sit down. Merlin first walked up to Arthur, and poured him a cup of his favourite wine, he knew what Arthur liked so didn't even have to ask. They he went over to a fat man with a long white beard next to him
"Would you like a drink sire," asked Merlin, very politely which was followed the mans,
"No, bugger off!" In a very rude tone of voice. Merlin was completely shocked by how rude he was, but said nothing, and worked his way round the table serving drinks, with only a few more rude replies, and then he reached Morgana.
"The usual I presume my lady," he smiled, reaching for her cup, and pouring some wine into it. Morgana smiled and took it back from him gently.
"Thank you Merlin," she said graciously, smiling at Merlin, her foot subtly reaching out under the table to touch suddenly seemed to turn into a game of footsie under the table, and no one seemed to notice, except perhaps Arthur. He saw Merlin standing next to Morgana for a long time, not moving and smiling at her, when he should be serving drinks. He noticed they looked very suspicious. He kept noticing Merlins leg move, so he looked under the table, and saw the two almost playing footsie, and was shocked! What on earth was Merlin doing. When Merlin suddenly moved on to serve drinks, he continued to watch his friend, and kept watching him giving Morgana quick glances. Something was defiantly going on, and he was going to question the hell out of him when this meal was completely over.
