Alaia Skyhawk:

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Music: N/A

"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A

~(-)~

Chapter 28: Beauty and the Beast ~Part 4~

Approaching the chamber in the tunnels, the green-tailed servant could hear the contented grunting of his mistress. Much effort she had put into the enchantment on the pendant, and it had truly been an act of last resort... Enchantments tend to make people act in ways they wouldn't normally do, raising suspicions that might prove inconvenient very quickly.

Jonas approached his mistress, crouching down to greet her as she gorged on the rotten fruit he'd left down here for her.

"Good morning, Mistress."

The troll looked at him, pleased.

"It is indeed, Jonas."

"The king was receptive to your advances?"

She gestured at herself, as flies buzzed around her lank, grey hair.

"How could he resist such beauty? He is but a puppet in my hands."

~(-)~

In the castle, things were far less cheerful as Gaius returned from a summons by the King. Merlin was waiting for him, looking a little anxious, and his mentor could do little to alleviate that.

"It's no good, Merlin. I could tell him she's a troll until I'm blue in the face. He simply won't listen. He's disregarded everything I told him; he said as much to me when I went to him just now. He sees a charming, beautiful woman."

Merlin tilted his head, his manner expressing what he thought of that.

"Yeah, with a body like a tree-trunk."

Gaius glanced at him.

"But we only know that because you saw her in the troll form."

"So what do we do?"

Gaius braced himself against the table beside his ward.

"Show her for what she really is."

There was a long pause, before Merlin realised what was being implied with that statement and he stared at Gaius. Was he being serious?

"Using magic?"

"It's the only way to reveal her true form."

Yes, he was being serious. Merlin continued to stare.

"But she rarely leaves his side."

Gaius spoke in a tone that betrayed just how nervous this plan of action made him... Anxious and concerned for his ward.

"I know."

There was another long pause, before Merlin knew that Gaius really was being serious.

"You want me to use magic in front of the King?"

"Yes, Merlin, I do."

The young warlock got up and started to pace, not happy.

"I'd never get away with it."

Gaius straightened up as well, reaching out to stop Merlin's movement.

"Trust me, Merlin, I'm well aware of how dangerous this is. But we cannot allow her to gain any more control over the king. Who knows what the consequences might be."

Merlin went still at those words, his expression becoming a resigned frown as he relented.

"There's just one problem. I don't know anything about Troll magic."

Gaius went to one of his bookshelves, and pulled down several tomes that he thumped down onto his desk.

"Then we have work to do."

They started reading, pawing through page after page of useless information. After three hours, Gaius nodded off. Leaving Merlin to continue the task to the background noise of his mentor snoring. He was on the point of falling asleep himself, when he spotted something that might be of use.

He reached across the desk and tapped Gaius on the arm, waking him and pointing to the page.

"Here, look, the Spell of Revelation. 'By which the true nature of a thing may be revealed'."

He moved the book in front of the physician, allowing him to read the entry, before Gaius frowned.

"But this only applies to objects, things, not to living creatures."

Merlin grimaced.

"I know, but the principle's the same, isn't it?" He saw Gaius giving him a long look. "I have to at least try it. What other choice do we have?"

Gaius sighed, passing the book back to his ward.

"Very well, Merlin, but choose your moment wisely. Trolls are vicious creatures." There was a pounding on the door, and the physician called out. "Come in."

It opened, admitting a knight who spoke with some urgency.

"The King requires your presence in the Council Chambers."

Mentor and ward glanced at each other, before both headed for the door. When the reached the chambers, there were already many notable members of the royal court present. That alone told them that something was up, and likely something they wouldn't like.

A short while later, the time came, and Uther escorted Catrina into the room with his hand clasped to hers. When he reached his throne, he turned to present her to those gathered.

"Thank you all for coming. You're no doubt wonder why I have gathered you all here today. Though we live in dark times, today I bring you light... and love." He looked utterly happy, sickeningly so, which for Uther was incredibly odd. "It gives me the greatest pleasure, to inform you that the Houses of Tragor and Pendragon are to be united in the closest bond of all. I am to marry Lady Catrina of Tragor." As the members of the court began to clap, Catrina leaned in and whispered in his ear, making him correct himself. "I am to marry, Lady Catrina, tomorrow."

Again the court clapped, although there were many puzzled glances, of which Arthur's was especially so.

With the cover the clapping would provide, Gaius nodded discretely to Merlin. The young warlock ducked behind a pillar, peering out only far enough to get a clear line-of-sight on Catrina, and then he began to chant.

"Hierste thaet cicen sona." Her smile was immediately replaced by an expression of discrete concentration, and he repeated the spell again. "Hierste thaet cicen sona."

He could see the flesh of part of her face ripple, too focused on her to be aware he wasn't the only one noticing her predicament. Jonas saw it too, and also saw Merlin as he repeated the spell for the third time, and despite his efforts leaving him gasping it wasn't enough to break her form-shifting spell.

At that point Uther finished his speech and led Catrina from the room, the lady parting ways from him as soon as she could to be ushered to her chambers by Jonas.

When she got there she doubled up, demanding answered.

"What happened?"

Jonas flustered round her, agitated.

"I'm sorry, Mistress. I was not prepared."

"Quick! My potion!"

Jonas scurried to her side with a small vial, from which she took a gulp as he spoke urgently.

"It was the boy, Merlin. It seems he has magic."

"No need to worry. I resisted him easily."

Catrina steadied herself against the bedpost, speaking as if there was no need for concern, but her servant wasn't reassured.

"But there's no telling what he'll do next! He could ruin everything!"

She as last lost her temper, shouting at him.

"That can not be allowed to happen!"

Jonas backed up a step, but then returned to her side as her anger abated.

"What would you have me do, Mistress?"

She smiled wickedly.

"I think it's time we set a trap."

~(-)~

"I'm sorry, I tried. I gave it everything I had."

Mentor and ward walked into the physician's chamber, the former turning to the latter.

"It's not your fault, Merlin. You did your best."

Merlin paused, but remained disheartened.

"The Spell of Revelation is powerful magic. And she could feel it, I could see she could feel it."

Gaius looked concerned.

"Her magic must be powerful indeed to be able to resist you." Merlin, who had looked like something had occured to him turned and left causing Gaius to stare after him. "Where are you going?"

"To speak to Arthur. He's our only hope."

Merlin ignored when he heard Gaius call his name, and kept going down the stairs before cutting across the castle. And as he approached the prince's chambers, he was well aware that this was likely to be a similar situation to the one Gaius had played out when he'd spoken to Uther. Then again, there was always a small chance that Arthur would listen and nots be a prat.

Very small...

Merlin started playing conversations through his head, planning how he would start out... Only for every idea to fail him when he got there and had Arthur staring at him waiting for him to speak. And when he didn't, the prince frowned.

"Yes?"

Merlin took a deep breath.

"Arthur, I'm going to tell you something... and it's not going to be easy."

Arthur continued to stare.

"Right..."

"It concerns the Lady Catrina."

"You're not using my chambers to spy on her again."

Merlin gaped at that, vehemently shaking his head.

"No... Trust me, I saw everything I needed to see."

Arthur, back now to his servant, remained dismissive.

"I'm sure you did."

There was a long pause, as Merlin steeled himself and finally said it.

"Arthur, she's a troll."

"She's not that bad."

The prince started to laugh, turning to face him again, and Merlin came forward frowning in concern.

"Arthur, I'm being serious. She is, she's an actual troll."

Arthur looked like he was thinking for a moment, before any hope that might have brought them promptly jumped out the nearest window.

"Merlin, I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it. You're a true friend, but it's not about whether I like her or not, it's about what makes my father happy. And when they announced the wedding today, I realised that Lady Catrina does just that, she makes him happy."

Merlin started to lose patience at being shrugged off so easily.

"Well he won't be so damn happy when he discovers that his wife is a fruit-munching monster."

"That's enough, Merlin."

"But-"

Arthur took a step forward, silencing him.

"She's the future Queen of Camelot, whether you like it or not. So you better get used to it."

The prince strode out, leaving Merlin standing there with the severe desire to beat some sense into a certain royal scull. He too left the room, scowling to himself as he headed back to Gaius' chambers only to be stopped by the last person he expected.

He heard crying, specifically a man crying; which was rather odd in a castle full of knights who think crying makes them weak. Curious, he followed the sound only to find Jonas huddled in an alcove. The servant jolting at the sight of him, with what looked like relief?

"Master Merlin. I'm sorry."

Merlin frowned, suspicious.

"What's wrong with you?"

Jonas got up from where he'd been crouched, hurrying to the corner where Merlin stood and fearfully looking around to make sure no one else was near.

"I'm a slave, a prisoner."

Merlin's frown deepened, as did his wariness.

"What are you talking about?"

Jonas' eyes were wide with terror.

"My mistress is not what she seems, but you know as much."

Merlin lowered his guard a little, but only a little. The other servant looked truly frightened, and Gaius had said that trolls despised all other living creatures. So, whatever Jonas was, the troll likely treated him badly.

"Go on. I'm listening."

That seemed to be all Jonas needed to hear, as he visibly relaxed and his manner became more trusting.

"She is a wicked, cruel creature. She keeps me in chains." He bared his wrists, revealing unmistakable raw welts. "She hurts me. Her magic, I can't escape it. She twists my mind, as she is twisting the mind of your king."

Merlin looked almost convinced, but still had another question.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Again Jonas fearfully checked no one was near.

"I can help you... Below the castle, where she sleeps. She keeps her potions there. Every night she must take these potions. It is the magic that transforms her from beast to beauty. If you were to take these from her, she must remain as a beast... and then I think your king would not be so keen, I think."

Merlin frowned.

"Then tell me, Jonas, why I should believe any of this?"

The servant lowered his eyes, submissive.

"You must do as you see fit, Master Merlin." He raised them again, to look the young warlock in the eye. "But if my mistress is not stopped by morning, she will be Queen."

Jonas turned and hastened away, still acting fearful as he darted off to wherever he was meant to be at this time. Merlin watched him go, unable to deny that the last thing he'd said was terribly true. The troll had to be stopped before tomorrow, or she would be Queen.

That made his mind up, and he immediately headed for the lower levels. Getting to her lair would not be hard, and as it was currently daytime the troll should be somewhere about the castle playing pretty with Uther.

Part of him remained wary as he approached the place, knowing that this could be some sort of trap, but when he found the chamber empty he allowed himself to relax enough to search her foul 'bed' for the potions. And he was in the middle of that when a gravelly-hag voice reached his ears and he turned in horrified surprise to see the troll standing in the doorway in all her horrid glory.

"You won't find anything in there. You may possess some magic, wretch, but you are no match for me."

With a gesture she brought the ceiling beyond the doorway crashing down, blocking it completely with rubble before Merlin could do anything. Nothing except stare at it by the light of his torch, and feel the sinking sense of dread in his gut.

He was trapped, and if he didn't get out before dawn then the troll was going to marry the King.

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: Dun dun dun dun! I deliberately left the wedding bit for the start of the next part, since I thought this bit makes a much better cliffhanger :D