*I lied...there will be a couple more chapters before the Yule ball. I am not quite sure what I am going to make happen at the ball, but hopefully some ideas will come to me soon. The next chapter is going to be really short probably, and then the chapter after after that will be the yule ball. the yule ball will probably be divided into a couple chapters however, as I anticipate it being a rather long scene.
In this chapter, Gaius gets suspicious again and Guinevere and Arthur both get nice suprises.
Enjoy!
Merlin stood in his chambers, envisioning a perfect dress for Guinevere. Then, holding out the fabric in his hands and reciting a few words, a dress magically appeared. Of course, he had had to buy the violet and indigo silks beforehand in order to make it. Not even the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the earth could make something out of nothing. The fabric, which cost a pretty penny, was now a beautiful gown. The money saved by having to have it sewn would be going towards his savings.
He laid the dress down on his recently-made bed and washed his hands and face quickly before heading out to grab breakfast.
Gaius had laid out a simple assortment of food as usual. Apples, bread, cheese. Merlin sat down across from Gaius, who was munching on an apple and reading some dull-looking textbook.
Pouring a cup of watered wine, Merlin asked, "How are you Gaius? I feel quite good today. Yule ball is in three days, I get Saturday off. I'm looking forward to this."
Gaius lifted his eyes from the book. "You sure are talkative today."
"Can I not ask my guardian how he is doing?" Merlin helped himself to bread.
Gaius looked at him, his eyes shifting back and forth. "You seem strangely happy."
"Well...I am happy. Is that so strange?"
Gaius' eyes were still watching him, judging him. "Yes. It is. You can't fool me. I know exactly what is up. You are hiding something."
Merlin laughed. "Me! No!"
"Well if I could make one guess, it would be that your little affair with the la..." Gaius began.
The door to their room flung open, and in barged Morgana.
"...Lady Morgana," Gaius finished his sentence.
"Yes!" Morgana exclaimed cheerfully, responding to her name. "Hello!"
Merlin watched as Gaius smiled at her, and then glared as he turned his face back away to glare at Merlin. "It has not finished has it?"
"What hasn't finished?" Morgana asked. She looked radiant in her snow-white dress. Like the queen of a faraway winterland.
"Nothing, nothing, my child," Gaius got up from his seat. "How can I be of assistance?"
"Oh, um...I need to talk to Merlin actually."
"Merlin?!" Gaius turned to him, the unpleased look still on his face. "Whatever for?"
"It is about the gift I asked him to go buy for Guinevere," Morgana said with a grin.
Good excuse, Morgana, Merlin thought to himself.
"You sent Merlin on an errand?"Gauis asked.
"Er, yes. He does the job as well as anyone else. I couldn't very well ask Gwen, now could I?" Morgana challenged.
"I'd quite like to see this gift," Gauis said, crossing his arms.
"He is onto us," Merlin hissed in Morgana's ear as he walked by her.
He grabbed the dress from his room and brought it out. He held it in front of Gauis. "See! Here! A gift!"
Gaius' expression relaxed a little, seeing that Merlin had not lied.
"Oh! That is beautiful Merlin!" Morgana gushed, going along with his plan. "Why don't we go show it to Arthur right this minute?"
Merlin nodded eagerly, looking innocently at Gaius. "Arthur paid for most of it," he explained.
Gaius nodded slowly. "Alright then."
Merlin and Morgana practically crashed into each other as they ran for the door at the same time. Their hands accidentally ended up on each other's arms.
"Excited, aren't you two?" Gaius mentioned.
Merlin let go of Morgana's arm.
In turn, Morgana removed her hand from Merlin's wrist.
"It's just, Gwen will be so thrilled!" Morgana took the dress from Merlin.
"Why does Gwen need such a dress?" Gaius asked.
Would Gaius stop badgering them with annoying questions!
"Merlin can explain that to you later!" Morgana flung open the door, then grabbed Merlin's arm and pulled him out the door, saving him from anymore of Gaius' pesky inquiries.
She continued pulling him along the hall, stopping only to talk to him once they were safely out of view in her room. "Now we can get down to our real business."
"I'd prefer you didn't." The voice came from a figure folding sheets in the corner of the room.
"Gwen!" Morgana shrieked, placing her hand on her heart. "Don't scare me like that! Besides I wasn't referring to that sort of thing."
"Good! I mean I have no qualms about you two but I don't have any desire to see you acting all lovey-dovey either." Gwen put the sheets into an ornately carved trunk.
"Yes well it was rather awkward for me last night to see you and Arthur," Merlin retorted.
"What? We weren't even..." Gwen protested, blushing as she shut the lid on the trunk.
"You were getting there." Merlin took a seat.
"No. Trust me. It was not going there." Gwen fanned her face.
Merlin bit his tongue, suppressing his laughter. He didn't want to embarrass her further.
"Anyways...the business we are speaking of is this!" Morgana held out the dress.
Gwen's jaw dropped.
"What is that?" She asked, pointing at the gown.
Merlin was insulted. He had thought it looked good. Morgana hadn't said anything against it either.
"It's the gown you are wearing to the ball." Morgana attempted to hand the dress over.
"I...I can't wear that!" Gwen protested. "How much did that cost! I cannot accept it. You must return it."
"It's non-refundable." Merlin pointed out.
"Take it," Morgana placed the dress in Gwen's arms. "Besides, you must look like a princess if Arthur's stupid plan is to work."
"Stupid it is indeed! I'm going to be sent away in disgrace when I get discovered." Gwen held out the dress, admiring it.
Merlin had to admit he had done a pretty good job on it. It had a full skirt, but a small train, as Gwen was not trained to walk in such dresses. The bodice was cut into a V-shape, with tiny indigo swirls sewn onto the fabric. The violet silk sparkled in the light thanks to tiny gems sewn into various places along the places where the spirals ended. The sleeves were made of indigo gauze, the same fabric as the veil.
Gwen looked like she would faint.
"It wasn't as expensive as it looks," Merlin said, hoping to calm Gwen down with that fact.
"We have to show Arthur!" Morgana insisted. "I think he will be pleased with Merlin's choice."
Gwen nodded slowly. "I...I can't believe this is mine."
"Well it is!" Morgana exclaimed. She turned to Merlin. "Out with you! Go get Arthur."
"My wish is your command, my lady," Merlin said before leaving, smiling to himself as he saw Morgana blush.
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"You two are awfully flirtatious," Gwen remarked, before walking behind the changing screen.
"No! That is not flirting!" Morgana protested, offering to hold the purple gown while Gwen got out of her normal dress.
"Oh good gods!" Gwen remarked suddenly.
Morgana snapped her head up. "What?!"
"He was in here last night, wasn't he?" Gwen held out her hand for the dress.
Morgana thrust the dress at here. "No! Of course not! Why would you think I would hide him in my room?"
"Perhaps because his neck scarf is on the floor behind here," Gwen suggested.
"What!" Morgana shrieked.
Now she was really caught in the act.
Gwen held out the red scarf. "This looks uncannily familiar."
Morgana gasped as she snatched it from Gwen's hand. She threw it into a trunk and slammed the lid. That could not be out when Arthur came in. That would imply they had not simply been talking. That sort of evidence would imply...well, it would imply the truth!
"H...he must have..." Morgana stuttered.
"Put it there on purpose?" Gwen giggled.
"Stop it!" Now Gwen was just being unfair.
"How on earth does this go on?" Gwen asked, her voice muffled by the dress she was attempting to pull over her head.
"Step into it. Not over the head," Morgana advised. "Usually helps for such gowns." She had plenty of experience with getting awkward gowns on.
"Oh how do you wear such things?" Gwen groaned. "So many layers. It's ridiculous!"
"Welcome to the life of a lady," Morgana said sarcastically. She took a moment to examine her face in the mirror while Gwen struggled with the dress.
She jumped back from the mirror with a gasp. She looked awful! She had gone to see Merlin looking like this. This was horrible. She began to attack her face with cosmetics.
"My lady," Gwen called out, her voice still muffled, "Are you alright?"
"No not really!" Morgana said quickly as she applied gobs of foundation.
"Morgana! Please! I think I'm stuck. Can you help me?!" Gwen cried, groaning with frustration again.
"Just a second!" Morgana finished blending the makeup, and then rushed over to help Gwen.
Gwen stood there, her arms sticking out in the incorrect places and half her shift still showing.
Morgana tried not to laugh as she yanked the dress back to its proper position.
"There!" She declared triumphantly, tying the laces at the back to finish the job.
Gwen sighed. "I do not understand why on earth ladies even bother with such apparel! Never again will I be jealous of the gowns you get to wear!"
"How did Merlin pick such a perfect fit?" Morgana wondered aloud.
Gwen threw up her arms as high as the tight sleeves allowed her. "I don't even know! Who knew getting dressed could be such hard work?"
Morgana shrugged as she sat back down at her mirror, applying lipstick and blush.. "I knew."
Just as she was finishing up, there came the knock on the door.
"Arthur?" Morgana asked.
"Mhmm," replied the voice through the door.
"Stay there!" Morgana ordered Gwen as she went to open the door.
She looked back at Gwen and added, "Oh, and do put the veil down!"
Gwen complied and adjusted her dress.
With a satisfied nod, Morgana opened her chamber door a crack.
"Close your eyes!" Morgana hissed at Arthur.
After a typical eye-roll, Arthur closed his eyes. Morgana opened the door fully. She motioned for Merlin to lead Arthur in.
"Wow!" Merlin said as soon as he entered the room.
"Alright! Open!" Morgana exclaimed.
She watched in amusement as Arthur's jaw dropped and he stuttered. "Oh...w...wow."
"See! I was right!" Merlin grinned. "Wow! Didn't I pick a perfect dress?"
"I think you should be less concerned with dresses to be honest." Arthur clapped him on the back. "But it's good to see that you were competent in completing your task."
"Er, thanks, I think?" Merlin said tentatively.
"Arthur!" Morgana reprimanded him. "More like he did a perfect job."
Arthur ignored her.
"Guinevere, you...you…look…so beautiful," Arthur said, walking up to her and taking her hands. "You look like a princess."
"Lady Guinevere of Carmarthenshire?" Gwen suggested a fake name.
"Indeed. We have not had close connections with that tiny territory for many, many years. My father will never know. You can say you are a cousin of someone royal or something." Arthur began running his hands up and down Gwen's arm.
Morgana really did not want to witness their loving actions. Now she knew how Gwen must have felt witnessing her and Merlin flirting.
"What if I am asked to remove my veil?" Gwen asked.
"You can say it is against your custom and religion," Arthur said.
"I really do want to enjoy my night, Arthur, but I am just concerned this may not work…"
"Trust me, Guinevere, it will!" Arthur insisted, pulling her into a hug. "We will have much fun!"
It was Morgana's turn to reprimand them for being so lovey-dovey. "Um…could you save it for another day? My innocent eyes are being offended by your flirting."
Arthur glared and let go of Gwen. "Fine."
"Come on Merlin, you have much work to do! There are chambers for the many guests to prepare. The work is not going to get done itself!" Arthur declared.
"Says the one not doing having to do any work," Morgana heard Merlin mutter. But to Arthur, Merlin said, "Yes, my lord."
"I'd better get changed and go help too," Gwen said. "The ball is only three days away now!"
With that, the four separated, going off to take care of their respective matters.