Merlin
Melody
By Hanabella Louise
Chapter 7- The New Girls in Town
Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot was nervous, more nervous than he had ever been in his life. King Uther, Prince Arthur, Prince Arthur's manservant and secret lover Merlin, the Lady Morgana, the Lady Morgana's hand maid and secret lover Gwen, Court Physician Gaius and the Knights of Camelot were now all waiting for the Lady Bethany and her daughter the Lady Georgia to arrive. Uther and Bethany had not seen each other for over fifteen years and she had not step foot in Camelot for twenty-two years. Painful memories of the past kept her away.
"Your father looks nervous," Merlin whispered into Arthur's ear.
"Don't be stupid, Merlin. Father's fine," Arthur hissed back. Merlin said nothing, just stood quietly behind Arthur, playing with the prince's fingers.
"Are you nervous?" Merlin whispered. Arthur sighed.
"I'm a little nervous," Arthur whispered back. Arthur gently took Merlin's hand and squeezed it.
Arthur let go when the wooden doors to the hall opened. Merlin and Gwen, as servants, stepped back as the Lady Bethany and the Lady Georgia entered the hall.
Uther couldn't help but smile. The Lady Bethany was as he remembered her. Her midnight black hair was so long that it swept across the stone floor. Her dark green eyes, her perfect lips, the years had not changed her. The Lady Bethany's daughter was a spitting image of her mother, apart from her eyes, which were a shade paler than her mother's. They approached Uther, Arthur and Morgana so gracefully that the echo of their shoes on the stone floor was like to the gentle pattering of rain, soft, sweet, soothing.
"Lady Bethany, Lady Georgia, we're so honoured to have you both here," Uther greeted, stepping forward. He kissed the Lady Bethany's hand and looked into her eyes for a few moments before he proceeded to kiss the hand of the Lady Georgia.
"It's our pleasure to be here, Sire," Lady Bethany replied with a sweet smile.
"Lady Bethany, you may remember my son, Arthur, from your last visit. And this is my ward, the Lady Morgana," Uther introduced.
"It's a pleasure," Arthur and Morgana said together.
"How could we forget the dashing prince Arthur. The years have made you more heavenly, Sire," the Lady Georgia said with a little purr at the end.
Arthur forced a smile. He was wrong in thinking that Merlin would be jealous. In fact, he and Gwen were trying not to laugh.
"This is my manservant, Merlin, and the Lady Morgana's maid, Guinevere," Arthur said, introducing Merlin and Gwen to the Lady Bethany and to the Lady Georgia.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my Ladies," Merlin and Gwen said together.
The Lady Georgia stood with Morgana and Arthur. Merlin and Gwen stood to the side. Merlin could see from the corner of his eye that she was flirting with him. Well, she was trying, trying and failing.
"She's such a flirt," Merlin whispered into Gwen's ear. Gwen giggled a little.
"She's not the only one flirting," Gwen whispered back.
"Arthur's not flirting with her," Merlin whispered back, a little hurt.
"No. The King and the Lady Bethany are flirting," Gwen pointed out with a furtive grin. Merlin looked across the room to where the King and the Lady Bethany stood, and indeed, as Gwen had said, they were flirting. It was as clear as the blue sky.
"I know he's killed a lot of people because of magic, but he deserves happiness after what happened with his wife and the troll," Gwen said. Merlin said nothing, just stood there watching the man flirting, the man who would kill him and his and Arthur's unborn child if he ever found out the truth. Merlin felt sick to his stomach at the thought of Uther killing his and Arthur's unborn daughter. The Man was stone cold evil. He deserved to die alone.
Merlin had been very quiet since the welcoming feast. Something that did not go unnoticed by Arthur. He knew something was wrong. Merlin was never quiet. He always had something to say.
"What's wrong?" Arthur asked as Merlin helped him dress for bed.
"Nothing," Merlin replied. He went to do up the buttons on Arthur's shirt when the Prince gently took Merlin's wrists in his hands.
"You're a bad liar, Merlin. Tell me what's on your mind, baby," Arthur crooned, kissing his cheek.
"Did you see your father tonight?" Merlin asked.
"Yes why? What's he done?" Arthur asked worried.
"Answer this question, Arthur. If he's killed millions of people for using magic, do you believe he deserves happiness and love?" Merlin asked looking into Arthur's eyes.
"No, he doesn't," Arthur said, not breaking away from Merlin's eyes.
"He deserves to die alone. You saw him with Lady Bethany. They knew each other years ago. Do you think anything will happen between them?" Merlin asked.
"I hope not.. I couldn't bare having the Lady Georgia as a step sister. I thought having Morgana as my father's ward was bad. Imagine what would it would be like with the Lady Georgia as my stepsister. It would be a living hell," Arthur complained with a smile that made Merlin laugh.
"Morgana's not that bad," Merlin said, returning the smile. Arthur kissed his lips.
"Don't worry about my father. I won't let him hurt you or the baby. Now let's get some sleep. I'm tired," Arthur said letting out a cute little yawn before climbing into bed.
"Stay with me tonight, Merlin. Please," Arthur asked as Merlin stood by the bed, getting ready to put out the candles.
"Of course," Merlin said he put the last candle out and got in next Arthur, wrapping his arms around the Prince.
"I love you, both of you," Merlin whispered into Arthur's ear, gently resting his hand on Arthur's flat stomach.
"We love you too," Arthur whispered back and the two boys fell asleep in each other's arms.
With Morgana and Gwen
Morgana bolted upright in bed. She gasped for air, shocked at what she'd just seen.
"No," Morgana whispered through her tears. Gwen opened her eyes and saw Morgana crying. Gwen rubbed her back.
"Bad Dream?" Gwen asked.
"Worse than a bad dream, a horrific Nightmare: One I hope doesn't come true," Morgana revealed. Before Gwen had time to ask her what she was talking about Morgana had snuggled back into her pillow. Gwen kissed her head before wrapping her arms around her and going back to sleep.