"Merlin!" The pompous prince yelled for his manservant, eyeing the expensive clothing that was placed on his royal bed.
The young sorcerer poked his head in the princes bedchamber, a look of annoyance apparent on his face.
"What?" Said Merlin, the frustration in his voice evident. Arthur narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms, a silent threat ready to escape his lips if the wrong words were spoken.
"What seems to be the issue, Sire?" Merlin corrected, fully stepping into the room, holding a woven basket filled with Arthur's laundry.
"What is the meaning of this?" The prince pointed at the clothing on the bed, imitating a spoiled child. His manservant rolled his eyes, placing the basket on the Arthur's desk with such exaggerated force that Arthur contemplated putting him in the stocks.
"That is your attire for tonight's celebration, Sire." Arthur scoffed, lifting the red jacket as if it were a peasants attire.
"It is my birthday, Merlin. I cannot be seen with this mockery! Many important noblemen will be there, meaning many important daughters eligible for marriage will be there as well. I demand a change in wardrobe within the hour," Merlin glanced at the outfit, a jacket of deep red embellished with gold thread, stones, and the pendragon crest sewn exquisitely on the back was paired with a crisp white shirt made of the finest silk imported from the east, and dark brown trousers also embellished with gold thread on the sides completed the look, along with a pair of rich leather boots shined by Merlin himself. What was wrong with it?
"But Arthur-"
"But nothing, Merlin. See to it. Oh, and one more thing," Arthur said as he grabbed an apple from his desk, heading towards the door, "Father has requested for you to escort the gypsy woman to the castle before the celebration is to start. The lady Morgana was gracious enough to scavenge a dress for the gypsy to wear. Visit Guienevere and see to it that the gypsy doesn't dare enter the castle in peasants clothing. We have standards to uphold. Understood? Excellent," with that the prince left to see to whatever duties he was to complete, leaving a fuming Merlin cursing Arthur's name to the deepest and darkest pit of hell.
...
"It's a beautiful garment," Remarked Gwen, passing the maroon colored fabric to Merlin's waiting hands.
"It'll look lovely on her." The maid servant continued, watching how Merlin inspected the dress.
"It's, uhh, very provocative," Merlin said, with slight color to his cheeks. "I've never seen a woman wear this before. Where did the lady Morgana get this?"
"A foreign merchant from Arabia sells them in the market. Morgana fancied them for the gypsy. Said she would capture the guests if she wore something foreign to match her appearance,"
"Right, all about the foreign appearance," Merlin rolled his eyes. The gypsy girl was being exploited already, as if she were part of an act in a circus.
...
Merlin never really liked going to the Rising Sun. His last encounters in taverns landed him in hot water and strange friendships. Gwaine was the perfect example of this notion. And of course, upon entering the tavern, he found the free-spirited man, large smile on his face and flirtatious eyes directed at the newest tavern maid.
"You are quite lovely, my dear, an Egyptian goddess," Gwaine gave the gypsy a grin as she placed him a tankard of mead brimming to the top. Adriana rolled her eyes, but kept a small smile on her striking face.
Stepping besides Gwaine, Merlin smiled at the gypsy, putting the small parcel he had for her on the wooden table top.
"Merlin! By the gods, what are you doing here? Did you accidentally walk into the wrong shop? Gwaine laughed, motioning for Merlin to take a seat beside him.
"Beauty, this Merlin, Merlin this is beauty,"
Gwaine was always an extrovert, and judging by the look on the gypsys face, she did not appreciate that at the moment.
"Why yes, we did meet," Was Adriana's reply, setting down a tankard for Merlin. "How are you , Merlin?" Merlin, too surprised by her forwardness, took a gulp of his mead, the bitter taste burned down his throat as he winced at the sensation.
"And how did you encounter this beautiful flower?"
"Under unfortunate circumstances, I'm afraid," Merlin finally spoke, pushing the parcel towards Adriana.
"Under Kings orders, I am to escort you to the castle. The lady Morgana has provided you with the proper attire you need," Adriana looked down at the wrapped parcel, carefully examining it as if it were a danger to her.
"An escort? I hardly think I need a babysitter," She was annoyed, Merlin could tell by the way she fumbled with her pronunciations.
"It's only precaution, you see," the young sorcerer assured her. "There never was a time a gypsy was invited to court. You are the first,"
"I'll gladly take her for you, Merlin" Gwaine grinned at the girl, setting his payment to the side and grasping the gypsy's hand to give it a light kiss.
"I am at your service, beauty." The gypsy, snatched her hand back quickly, a storm brewing in her eyes. She then stated something in a foreign tongue, a joke judging her smile, before taking the coins he had placed, putting them away.
"No thank you," she said flashing him a polite smile before her grey eyes turned to look past Gwaine.
Behind Gwaine was a man as tall as Merlin himself, with the same olive skin, curly hair and crystal eyes as Adriana, no doubt a relative of hers. The man glared at both Merlin and Gwaine before turning to the younger gypsy, uttering something foreign to her before heading up the stairs towards the back of the tavern.
"Merlin, if you will allow me a moment, I will return. It was a pleasure, sir," She slightly bowed her head, taking the parcel with her and disappeared to the back of the tavern.
"I see you have your hands on that one, Merlin," Gwaine gulped down Merlin's tankard before laughing and clapping him hard on the back.
"Good choice."
...
Adriana looked stunning in maroon. It was a two piece garment, the top revealing her midriff, the skirt had a slit on the side that reached her thigh, billowing with every step she took.
The castle was crowded with servants running this way and that, carrying trays of roasted meats and sweet cakes. It was overwhelming for the gypsy, who was looked at up and down with such disgust that she loathed herself for a moment. Her pride was crumbling.
Her brother had warned her about mixing with the common folk. The gossip would soon start, and he was enraged by what these people were saying, calling her a concubine and whore. He did not trust Merlin for it, but knew his sister would be able to defend herself if need be.
Merlin noticed her sudden change in mood, for her eyes had a dangerous glint that he could not decipher, but he did not mention it. At the moment, he was a bumbling mess, the heat once again reaching the tips of his ears for what seemed like the millionth time. She would hardly notice a lowly servant such as he, so he didn't bother with formalities and such. His only job was to escort her to her destination.
Leaving her with the rest of the entertainment, Merlin attempted to say his farewells but stopped in his tracks when the young gypsy gave him a deathly stare.
"Are you mad? Why are you leaving?"
"To serve the Prince? I have other duties to attend to," She was not amused, crossing her arms and looking towards the crowd of entertainers, all waiting for their turn to be called in front of the tall doors that led to the great hall. Merlin rose an eyebrow, wondering where her fearless attitude had gotten to. He slightly chuckled at her, thinking her a child.
"Very well," She huffed, turning her head towards the large doors that creaked when a guard opened it.
"The gypsy. Where is the gypsy?" The guard belted out in a deep voice that seemed to shake the room. The crowd began to quite down, all heads turning towards Adriana.
"Adriana of Spain," continued the guard, motioning the great hall with and outstretched hand.
"His Majesty is waiting