Summary: Uther finds a suitor for his wilful younger daughter who alters his elder daughter's life.
A/N: Now you know why Morgause is a goodie in this. Because Morgause is Arthur.
The Taming of the Seer (Part 2: Two Grooms) by frostygossamer
Merlin was gobsmacked. This explained the faint magical aura that he had sensed around Morgause. She had been cursed with a gender-changing spell. Who would have guessed?
Well, if that was all it was, Merlin knew he was capable of reversing it. He had been taught everything there was to know about curses, by his revered teacher, Gaius of Caledonia. It would be a piece of cake, but, then again, why would he? It would only mean losing the woman he loved.
As soon as the date for Merlin and Morgana's wedding had been announced, Uther moved straight on to the selection of a suitable husband for Morgause.
Morgana had a few choice things to say to Merlin, about their wedding day being named, but Merlin simply put a spell on her tongue, to prevent her complaining to Uther about it. He hated to do that to a lady, but he needed her to sit still and quiet, while he explained to her that she was a fool, if she didn't want to marry him. He would treat her well, and let her be her own mistress. She couldn't expect that from anyone else.
"Have I told anyone about your magic?", he asked. "I've kept your secret because we are of the same kind. You won't do better anywhere else."
Morgana was forced to admit, reluctantly, that he was probably right.
Uther's choice for Morgause's bridegroom was a former suitor, who was also the ruler of an adjoining kingdom, King Cenred, a person of some wealth and power. The union of their two realms would be a very shrewd political move.
Merlin was pleased to hear that Uther had chosen a king for Morgause. By all accounts Cenred was fairly young and considered handsome. Surely he would make Morgause happy. Morgana disabused him.
"Cenred", she laughed triumphantly. "That man is infamous. He's known throughout Albion for his overweening pride and cruelty. The man is obsessed with power. I pity the woman that he takes as wife. Her life will be torture!"
Merlin was horrified. He went straight to Uther to beg him to rethink his decision.
"Sire", he pleaded. "You can't seriously mean to marry off your own child to that villain. How can you be so cruel?"
Uther scowled at him. "Cenred is an excellent match", he declared. "Morgause is a dutiful girl. She knows that an alliance with Cenred would ensure peace on our borders, and increase the wealth of the joint kingdom. She has too much good sense to refuse. And it's none of your business."
Uther dismissed him with a wave of the hand and Merlin hurried to find Morgause. She was in the garden once again.
"Morgause, my dear", he gabbled. "I've just heard the news. Your father means to wed you to that rogue King Cenred."
Morgause regarded Merlin without expression. "It is my duty, Merlin", she replied. "If I have to sacrifice my life for the sake of Camelot, then so be it. It's my destiny."
Merlin looked at her with admiration. Morgause was so noble, so strong. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere", he promised. "I'll protect you."
('o')
Cenred's arrival at Camelot was full of pomp and pageantry. Cenred was an important man in Albion, at least the equal of Uther, and his entourage was impressive. Cenred introduced himself to his intended bride with gallantry. He kissed Morgause's proffered hand delicately and smiled benignly. Merlin noticed that his smile didn't reach his eyes, which had a cold and steely glint to them.
Morgause curtsied and greeted her guest politely, but Merlin knew she was biting back a sneer, just as he was. Merlin's heart went out to the poor girl, who had no choice but to accept her fate with this odious man.
"My Morgause is so brave", he thought. "I only wish I could save her from this."
A Ceremony of Betrothal was arranged, and the Pendragons and their intimates gathered in the Great Hall to witness it.
Uther stood before his throne, and Cenred and Morgause stood together before him. Uther took his daughter's hand in his, and Cenred's hand in the other. Cenred stared into Morgause's eyes, and formally asked her to be his queen.
Morgause hesitated for just a fraction of a second. Merlin held his breath, silently begging her to say no. Uther coughed encouragingly, and Morgause accepted. Uther placed their two hands together and patted them happily. The betrothal was signed and sealed.
Merlin's heart sank, but it was what he had expected. After all, as Morgana said, Morgause was all about duty. However he couldn't let this moment go without doing something. He stepped forward and broke the awkward silence.
"Cenred", he piped up. "You're making a big mistake."
Cenred looked surprised. "A mistake?", he demanded. "What manner of mistake?"
"The woman you intend to marry is a figment", Merlin declared. "You have been fooled by sorcery!"
Cenred pulled his hand away and took a step backwards. "Sorcery?", he yelped. "What sorcery?"
Merlin raised his hand and, as his blue eyes flashed to gold, the veil of illusion that surrounded Morgause parted just for a heartbeat.
Just for a heartbeat everyone in the room saw him. A vision of what Uther's boy-child might have been. A vision of the handsome, chiselled, masculine features of the man that Uther's son should have been. Golden-haired, magnificent and proud. Then the vision was gone.
Cenred stumbled and backed away. "Trickery!", he declared. "I don't know what you're trying to achieve, Uther, but I won't be so easily made a mockery of."
And with that Cenred swept out of the hall and out of Camelot, followed by his entire entourage. Uther was furious. They had made an enemy of his neighbour. He had his guards arrest Merlin and throw him into the deepest dungeon.
('o')
Before he left him alone in the cold, dark cell, Uther gave him his sentence.
"You have magic, Sir", he snarled. "And magic is a capital crime in Camelot. You have only one way to earn a reprieve. After what I've seen today, I have no doubt you have to power to remove the curse on my daughter once and for all, and return my son to me. Do that and you will go free. Do this one thing for me and I will even allow you to marry Morgana."
"Never", Merlin declared. "Even if I lie here until I rot, I will never sacrifice sweet Morgause, just so that you can have your son. And you're a blackguard, Sire, if you even contemplate doing that."
Uther grimaced. "Just ponder your fate, boy. I will return later, for your answer."
Merlin sat alone on the straw-strewn, cold, stone floor. Morgause had been saved from one awful suitor, but she wasn't yet safe. Now Uther knew about his magic, his fate was sealed. How was he going to protect Morgause now?
Merlin tried to sleep that night, but his cell was so damp and uncomfortable he couldn't find any rest. He thought about Morgause, and he thought about Arthur. That face, so like his beloved's and yet so different. The two visages began to blur together in his mind. If he could free Arthur he would, but that would mean losing Morgause, and that was impossible. As time passed he began to feel hopeless.
He was aroused from his torpor by the light of a torch, flickering along the dungeon walls as it approached. It was carried by a figure in a long cloak and hood. It was Morgause.
"Merlin", she whispered softly. "I need to talk to you."
Merlin joined her at the cell door.
"Are you well, my dear", he asked her, solicitously.
Morgause smiled at him tenderly. "I have come with a request. I want to ask you to do as my father demands."
Merlin shook his head. "I will never do that, Morgause", he insisted. "He wants me to lift the curse that has given you the form you have now. He wants to throw away your whole life, and get back the one-year-old child that you once were. That isn't fair. You don't deserve to be dismissed like nothing. You're a wonderful person, my dear."
"But I want you to do it, Merlin", Morgause explained. "I want to be a prince. I'm sick of being treated like a nobody, just because I'm a woman. I'm as good as any man. I can lead my people and, if I were a man, Father would let me. I want to make him proud. I want to be all that I can be, Merlin. I love you, but I want to be Arthur."
Merlin sighed. He looked deep into her blue eyes, and saw the sincerity of her plea. He was unable to refuse her.
"Very well", he said, choking back a sob. "Take me to Uther. I will do what you ask, for your sake, not for mine. I just want you to be happy."
So Morgause summoned the dungeon guards, and Merlin was led before King Uther. There, in front of the entire court, Merlin removed Nimueh's decades-old curse, and Uther's first-born was transmogrified into the handsome young man that they had glimpsed for a moment the day before.
Uther was overjoyed, and embraced his new son like a bear. Morgause, or rather Arthur now, was dazed by this unprecedented display of fatherly affection. He grinned ear to ear.
Merlin slunk away unhappy. Morgause was gone for good, and his world now seemed more than empty.
('o')
In the following few months, life at Camelot became hectic. Morgana and Merlin's marriage was going ahead. Uther had pardoned Merlin for his displays of magic, seeing as they were to his benefit, and he rather felt that a marriage between these two tempestuous characters would serve to calm both of them down.
Merlin had resigned himself to marriage with Morgana, because there was no other alternative calling him away. Morgause was gone, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Camelot, and, if he was staying, he might as well wive it well. That had been his original intention in coming there, after all.
While Morgana was busy with dresses and cake, her new brother was learning to be a prince. There were lessons in warcraft, hunting and manly sports. He grew more muscular, and apparently taller every day. He learned to be arrogant and, Merlin judged, somewhat prattish. Gone was Morgause's quiet yet determined voice. Instead, Arthur's baritone reverberated around the corridors of Camelot castle.
Merlin had taken pains to avoid the new prince. His presence constantly reminded him of his lost Morgause. Luckily Arthur's busy schedule had meant that they seldom ran into each other, and when they did meet they simply exchanged polite pleasantries.
('o')
It was the morning of Merlin's wedding to Princess Morgana. Merlin was dressed in the stylish costume that King Uther had provided for him, tailored by the finest garment makers in Camelot.
He paced the room, agitated. Today he would marry the beautiful, and finally 'tamed', Morgana, whilst the woman he really loved was lost to him forever. Morgana's new brother would be watching as they exchanged vows. The woman of his dreams was going to be his brother-in-law. Merlin couldn't stand it any longer. He had to go and speak to Arthur.
Arthur was in his rooms putting the final touches to his outfit. He looked splendid. He eyed himself in the mirror. Secretly he was very relieved that his new face was handsome. He wasn't vain, much, but at least it had been worth the trouble of learning how to shave.
"Good morning", Merlin said as he entered his chamber.
Arthur strode up to him, and patted him awkwardly on the shoulder. He wasn't used to manly expressions of affection yet.
"How are you feeling?", he asked. "Nervous?"
Merlin shook his head. "Just sad", he replied.
"Sad?", Arthur asked, confused. "On your wedding day? Why sad?"
"Because I'm marrying the wrong sister", Merlin answered. "I should have been marrying Morgause. I love Morgause with all of my being, and I miss her so much it hurts."
Arthur's eyes widened. "You never told me that, Merlin", he gasped.
Merlin looked at him, and their eyes met for a moment. "I feel as if Morgause died. I feel as if I killed her", he sobbed.
"You didn't", Arthur assured him. "I'm still here."
Merlin smiled sadly. "But you're not Morgause, Arthur. You're a man now."
Arthur chuckled. "Does that need to make a difference? Nothing has change inside my head, Merlin. I'm still the same person I ever was. And just because I've become a man doesn't mean I can stop myself loving you, even though it has to be a secret. You still look the same to me."
Merlin felt a grin spread across his face. Arthur pulled him into a hug, and they held each other silently for a long while.
"I seem to remember that you once promised to stick around and protect me", Arthur observed, with a smirk.
Merlin nodded his head. "I did and I will", he promised. "That's the only reason I'm marrying your sister."
It was at that precise moment that Morgana chose to flounce into her brother's room, to show off her beautiful bridal gown. She spotted the two young men locked in a passionate kiss, totally oblivious to her horrified presence.
Morgana growled and stamped her foot petulantly. Damn it! The sibling that she had always been so jealous of had won again. Stolen her husband-to-be from right under her nose. Even as a man! Full of rage, she swept indignantly from the room. If only she could tell Father, but who knew what magical jiggery-pokery Merlin would pull on her if she tried.
"Somehow I think the wedding is off", Arthur observed.
The End
A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Personally I think it's better than old Will's, but then I'm biassed.