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She stared at her reflection in the mirror, or at least what she assumed was her reflection, although you wouldn't be able to tell. Her long, ratty hair was clean and shiny and swept off her face into a long plait, hanging over her shoulder. Her usually dull and dirty clothes had been replaced by a beautiful crimson dress, flowing off her shoulders down to the floor, nipping in at the waist. She also wore a white headband, contrasting with her dark hair. She really did look like royalty.

"I think this is going to work Stephanie!" Her mistress was dirtying her own face.

"Hey! I'm not that dirty am I?" She immediately regretted talking to her mistress in such a manner and bowed her head. It was easy to forget when she was dressed as a servant. Lady Katherine looked into the mirror and frowned.

"No, you're right, even you aren't this bad." She giggled, nudging her scowling maid before scrubbing some of the dirt off her face.

"Thank you milady."

"Honestly Steph, that title really isn't necessary. Not keeping with the plan anyway..." She straightened out her dress and beamed, "In fact, I think the title is more fitting for you, milady."

"What's the big deal anyway? What's wrong with Lady Katherine?" Merlin dropped Arthur's crossbow slightly whilst trying to juggle the various equipment and animals Arthur had killed in his fit of rage.

"There's nothing wrong with her. Except the fact I do NOT want to marry her!" Merlin stopped in his tracks, furrowed his brow, and then continued after his master.

"Who said you have to marry her?"

"My father!" Arthur spat out the word, lifting his bow once more. Merlin was sure he only brought two to give him more to carry. "He is insisting that it's time I settle down, get married and produce an heir." Arthur threw his bow to the floor in anger and punched the nearest tree. Merlin flinched, it looked painful.

"What if you just pretend to hate her?" Merlin shrugged. Arthur looked at him cynically.

"My father wouldn't care if I hated her. Plus she's not going to hate me. No matter how horrible I act, Queen of Camelot and all that." He rested his head on the trunk of the tree and slid to the floor with a sigh. Merlin picked up the bow off the floor tentatively. "The only way I could get out of it was if she was a Sorcerer, she insulted Uther or if she was unacceptable."

"Unacceptable?" Merlin tried to think of a way a noblewoman could be unacceptable.

"If she was rude, or acted common, or if she took interest in other males, which, of course, she won't as she'll have me."

"But, surely you know all this already. I mean, you have met her before right" Merlin walked over to where the prince was sitting, tripping over a fallen branch and promptly dropping all of Arthur's hunting equipment on the man himself. Furiously, Arthur threw the whole lot off him and glared up at his manservant, who was scurrying around, picking up everything he could see.

"Merlin! Watch where you are going for god's sake!" He sighed again, "No. I've never met her. Neither has Uther. But he has heard rumours of her beauty and grace from everyone, including her own father."