After the visiting knights, who were just stopping to rest on their way to the neighboring kingdom, are welcomed by the court, Arthur and Marilyn depart to his room to get him ready for the feast. She tosses his trousers over the changing screen for him, holding his shirt and jacket ready for when he emerges. Marilyn tries not to stare at his bare torso when he comes out from behind the screen and she slips his shirt on. After his jacket is perfectly in place, Arthur catches Marilyn's hands in his own "Marilyn, I do not, under any circumstances, want you alone while these men are here. I have heard stories of servants being hurt in many ways by them," Arthur demands.
"That's not entirely practical, Arthur," Marilyn points out. Arthur sighs, realizing she's right.
"Well, then be alone as little as possible. Please," he begs, looking into her tired eyes. She nods and leaves to get ready for the feast when Gwen stops her in the hall. Gwen grabs the younger girl's arm and leads her off to Morgana's chambers. Marilyn tries to protest as they hand her a gown and shove her behind the changing screen, but it falls on deaf ears. The gown is lovely; it's a deep plum with black and silver details. Thankfully, it has long sleeves, a square neckline, and it flows perfectly over her skin.
"Morgana, I can't wear this; it's too much," Marilyn protests, refusing to show them the dress on her.
"Oh, hush, Marilyn, you deserve to be pampered. Now, come out here," Morgana insists. With a sigh, Marilyn slowly emerges from the sanctuary behind the screen, refusing to meet her friend's eyes "oh, Mare, you look so lovely."
"You're so beautiful," Gwen agrees. They lead her over to the dressing table, where they line Marilyn's eyes with kohl, dust her lids with silver, and paint her lips red. Her long curls are pinned in an intricate updo with purple flowers braided in, a few stray strands framing her face. Gwen and Morgana smile and their handiwork, feeling quite proud of what they've accomplished. Morgana is dressed in an extravagant emerald gown with gold detail, her curls hanging loose around her waist, and Gwen is wearing an ocean blue dress with white details. The trio looks like royalty. They walk arm-in-arm to the banquet hall, heads held high and smiles on their faces. All eyes are on the young women when they enter the hall. Arthur, who is in mid conversation with Lancelot, turns to see what everyone is staring at, and is floored by the vision before him. He's seen Marilyn dolled up before, but seeing her here and now, she looks as if she could be a queen. Morgana glances at him and smirks, but Arthur's eyes are glued to the pale serving girl beside her.
Gwen and Marilyn take their places behind Morgana and Arthur as everyone settles into their seats, the king publicly welcoming Sir's Badrick and Cadby. The people applaud politely, none seeming too pleased to have these guests in the palace. While the nobles eat, Marilyn quietly pass Arthur's warning to Gwen and Morgana, wanting to make sure her friend stays safe as well. The older girls thank her, very glad to have the information. The meal passes painfully slow, but Marilyn is relieved from her duties as the dances begin. She and Gwen watch from the side of the room, chatting quietly until Lancelot pulls Gwen away to dance. Marilyn smiles at her two friends, completely in love with each other. Gwaine spots Marilyn by herself, smile not quite reaching her eyes, and decides to try and cheer her up. He walks across the room to her, bowing and offering her his hand "M'lady, would you do me the honor of joining me for a dance?" he asks dramatically. Marilyn giggles and takes his hand, letting him lead her to the center of the room. She laughs as he spins her around the floor, occasionally tripping over his feet in his drunken haze.
Arthur glances over at Gwaine and Marilyn as he dances with his sister, causing her to smile knowingly at him "you seem to be quite taken with Marilyn, dear brother," Morgana remarks. Arthur's attention whips back to her.
"What are you talking about?" he inquires.
"Please, you can hardly take your eyes off her. Not that I can blame you; she is quite lovely," Morgana muses "and don't even try to deny it, Arthur. I can see you care for her," her eyes soften. The prince contemplates his sister's words, knowing she's right, but also knowing this could be very dangerous for both of them. If his father were to find out, at the very least, Marilyn would be fired, maybe even possibly banished if he's feeling particularly angered. At worst, he could say that Arthur has been enchanted by the girl and have her executed. The thought terrifies Arthur beyond words, and he knows of Marilyn's reoccurring nightmares. He'd hate if he should ever be the reason it becomes a reality.
The night passes in a blur of bright colors, gleaming smiles, lovely music, mindless laughter, elegant dances, and perfect bliss. Even Uther finds enjoyment in the festivities. He watches his children partake in all the life around them, pleased with the smiles on their faces, and in the center of it all is a certain maidservant with a flare for heroics. The candlelight illuminates her soft skin, creating an otherworldly glow around her. Her smile's radiance could shame the sun itself, and there is such a unique beauty to not only her appearance, but her spirit. The king would have to be a blind man not to notice the way his son steals glances at the girl, and he certainly couldn't fault Arthur for doing so; Morgana had outdone herself once again. He recalls all the times the maid, Marilyn? Yes, that's it, had saved his son, as well as his kingdom, and found himself pondering why she continuously goes above and beyond the line of duty even though she gets no reward. It's most astonishing.
As people filter out, the call of their beds growing stronger than the desire to stay, Arthur and Leon accompany Morgana and Marilyn to their rooms while Lancelot accompanies Gwen to her home. Arthur is tempted to force Marilyn to stay in his chambers while he sleeps in his chair, but knows it wouldn't come Gaius-approved, so he walks her to the door and leaves her with a gentle kiss and wishes for good dreams. Once in the privacy of his chambers, Arthur prepares for bed, replaying the image of Marilyn smiling and laughing, committing it to memory. A tentative knock at his door surprises him and makes him curious. When Arthur opens the door, he sees his father, also dressed for bed "Arthur, may I come in?" Uther's voice is uncharacteristically quiet and unsure. Blinking in surprise, Arthur nods, stepping away from the door so the king may enter. Uther sits at the table and motions for his son to do the same. After Arthur is seated, Uther visibly struggles to find the right words to say "you seemed to have a good time tonight," he begins.
"Yes, it was a very entertaining evening," Arthur agrees.
"Many smiling faces," Uther leads. Arthur hums in agreement "though, I must say, one smiling face outshined the rest," the king glances at his son, who is filled with questions "there is a rare beauty among us, and it would be unwise to let it fade into the background," Uther leaves the prince with those words, shutting the door behind him. Arthur stares at the space where his father was, wondering if this was a subtle approval of his affections for Marilyn.
Meanwhile, Marilyn has settled herself into her bed, feeling content. For once, her dreams are bearable, filled with stolen kisses and peaceful lazy days with a certain blond prince that has stolen her heart. A small smile plays on her lips as she sleeps, making her look more at ease than she's been in a long while, but all good things must come to an end, and this was no exception. Marilyn wakes up on time, a newly rare occurrence, and after a visit to the kitchens, she bring's Arthur's tray to his room, placing it on his table before waking him. As usual, he grumbles about getting out of his soft warm bed and dallies getting dressed, much to his maid's annoyance.
Today will mostly consist of Marilyn doing little chores while Arthur attends to his own duties, going their separate ways with a quick kiss and warm embrace. Arthur sits through boring meetings with the court nobles, wishing he was with Marilyn, whether it be chatting happily in the armory while she polishes, or in the privacy of his room. He misses her warmth, the smell of herbs and honey that clings to her, but most of all he misses the joy he feels when with her. No matter what may be wrong, she always can cheer him up. A small smile pulls at the corners of his lips, but he tugs himself back into a neutral expression, not wishing to draw any more attention to himself than he must. Still, his mind wanders as the hours pass, a small relief from the tasks at hand.
Meanwhile, Marilyn busies herself with polishing armor, helping with laundry, tending the horses, and other small tasks. She collects herbs for Gaius at midday to be out in the warm sun, taking Lancelot with her for protection to please Arthur. Her and Gwen do the bulk of their chores together to spend as little time alone as possible. Gwaine joins the two girls and his fellow knight on a walk through the lower town while waiting for Arthur to join the rest of the knights for training, the group teasing and laughing the way they always do. Some may consider their friendship strange, but the two knights lived the life of peasants before their knighthood, so social class meant little to them as far as mingling below their station.
The knights part from the young women, who wander back to the palace to pick up the royal children's laundry while making sure to stay together. Marilyn walks Gwen home, not thinking about the fact that she forgot to bring a knight to walk her back to her chambers. She walks quickly, uneasy in the darkness of the palace. Just two more corridors, she tries to sooth her racing heart, walking slightly faster than before. She keeps herself on high alert as she passes by the room the two visitors are staying in, petrified of what may happen if she doesn't. As she's glancing around, a hand comes out and grabs her, yanking her into the room. she tries to scream, but another hand clamps down over her mouth. Marilyn struggles against whoever is holding her when Sir Badrick comes into view "ain't she a pretty one? Feisty too. I like 'em with a bit of fire," he sneers. Cadby chuckles behind her, tying a rag around her mouth and binding her arms. He tosses her onto the bed as Marilyn cries and prays for someone, anyone, to help her out of this, but knowing no one will come for her.
The knights send Marilyn out early in the morning, having no farther use for her and knowing it will be suspicious if she were to be late for work. The serving girl rushes to her room and changes out of her bloodied clothes, her sore body screaming in protest. Before leaving, she secures a neckerchief and makes sure her hair is down to hide as much of the evidence as she can. She can't, however, hide the cuts and bruises on her face. As long as she gets all of her chores done as quickly as she can, maybe she could avoid running into anyone. After fetching Arthur's breakfast, she wakes him without looking in his direction and bolts off to do her chores before he's even out of bed. She's completed everything by just after sun high, only to be cornered in the armory by her attackers, who decided they wanted a repeat performance of last night. All of her struggling is useless, her frail body no match for two armed knights.
Arthur wonders where his maid and love have gone and why he hasn't seen her all day, and neither has anyone else, which means wherever she is, she's alone. Arthur curses under his breath and sends all of the knights out to find her. This is how Gwaine came to find a sobbing Marilyn in the armory, skirts hiked up her legs and Sir Badrick behind her while Sir Cadby watches with a smirk "what the hell is going on here?!" Gwaine shouts, drawing his sword "step away from the girl, now," he growls dangerously. He lunges at the visitors, mindful of Marilyn on the floor, who crawls into a corner once the fighting begins. Hearing the commotion, Lancelot and Leon burst in to find Gwaine, Badrick, and Cadby fighting. The other two knights of Camelot join, leaving the unwelcomed guests unconscious. Gwaine rushes over to where Marilyn is hiding, holding her to his chest as she sobs. He rocks her back and forth and tries to soothe her while Lancelot and Leon hang back so not to scare her. After a few minutes, Marilyn is unconscious, so Gwaine scoops her up carefully, being mindful of any wounds she may have, and carries her to Gaius as his friends drag her attackers to the dungeon and inform the prince of their acts.
Gwaine shoves the door open with his foot, shouting for the physician, who comes rushing over "what's happened?" he asks while motioning for Gwaine to place his niece on the examining table.
"Arthur hadn't seen her all day, so he sent us out to look for her. I found her in the armory with Badrick and Cadby. She was, well, being...violated," Gwaine choked out.
"Dear God. i was worried when she did not come home last night. I'll need you to leave while I examine her," the old man sighs. Gwaine nods and waits outside. Shortly after, Arthur, Lancelot, and Leon arrive in a rush.
"Where is she? Is she alright? Can I see her?" Arthur panics. Gwaine places his hands on Arthur's shoulders, forcing the prince to look at him.
"She's with Gaius; he is examining her now. You must relax. You will do her no good going in there in this state," he soothes. Arthur nods, trying to calm himself for Marilyn's sake. He takes a deep breath and the trio wait for Gaius to finish.
After what feels like a lifetime, the door opens and the old man comes into the corridor. He sighs deeply, refusing to meet anyone's eye "her injuries are extensive. There are large amounts of bruising and cuts, and I have taken care of her interior injuries, as well as given her a potion to help prevent pregnancy. I have done all that I can for now, but she needs rest," he reports. Hearing those words makes the events more real for Arthur.
"May I see her?" Arthur's voice is shaky and unsure. Gaius nods, but stops him just before he goes in.
"Prepare yourself, sire," he warns. Arthur takes a breath and enters, followed by the other three men. Marilyn sits up as they enter, trying to hide her face with her hair. Arthur, Gwaine, Lancelot, and Leon are careful not to get too close, trying not to spook her "Marilyn, dear, I hope you don't mind that we have guests."
"Not at all, uncle," the young girl says shyly, tucking the blankets around her tighter. The knights catch a glimpse of her bruised wrists, knowing there are many more marring her skin. Gwaine cautiously steps forward.
"Mare, I hope you're feeling alright," he stammers. Marilyn offers a small hollow chuckle and lifts her head, revealing her bruised neck and face, as well as the small cuts there. This image will always be cemented in Arthur's mind. She looks so small and helpless sitting there, and all of the prince's rage comes flooding back when he sees the damage.
"I should never have let you go anywhere alone. I should have been with you, or at least had a knight assigned to always be with you. They must be punished. They-"
"Arthur, stop," Marilyn cuts him off "please, calm down. I'm f-"
"Do not say you are fine, Marilyn. You are not. They deserve to be punished for what they've done to you," tears well up in Arthur's eyes.
"Gaius said you were missing last night," Gwaine interjects "did they...?"
"Yes. Both of them, last night and today," Marilyn hangs her head. Arthur chokes out a sob, causing Marilyn to look up and beckon her to him. He closes this distance and lets her pull him to her chest and comfort him. He wraps his arms around her torso gently and the pair cry together until Marilyn falls asleep. Everyone leaves her to rest and report Badrick and Cadby to the king.
In the throne room, the prince, two knights, and physician stand before their king, who glances at them curiously "what is the nature of this?" he asks his son.
"Father, Sirs Badrick and Cadby are currently being held in the dungeons for a great crime," Arthur reports. This sparks Uthur's interest, and he motions for Arthur to continue "today in the armory, Sir Gwaine found them violating Marilyn, and she reports the same happened last night. Gaius has completed an examination that solidifies the truth of this."
"Gauis, your findings are conclusive?" Uther asks. The old man nods, a haunted look on his face "we shall hold trial tomorrow. I must insist that Marilyn attends to give her statement," he decides, dismissing everyone. Uther sits alone in the grand room, feeling great sorrow for the girl. No one should ever have to go through what she has. He hopes she will recover, knowing it would be a great shame to see such a spirit as hers broken. Of course, he had heard stories about the visiting knights, but had hoped they had more honor than to engage in such acts, especially while away from their kingdom. The king sighs and heaves himself out of his throne, pondering what sentences would be acceptable. He finds himself outside his son's room and knocks. Unsurprisingly, Arthur is not inside. Uther turns to a nearby guard and sends him to find the price with a message before parting to his room, hoping this will work.
The guard finds Arthur leaving Gaius' chambers, stopping him "your highness, the king has asked me to pass along a message. He would like you to take a few members of the guard to inspect the room of Sirs Badrick and Cadby, as well as check their seals for validity," he informs. Arthur stares quizzically at the spot the man disappears from for a moment before pulling three guards and carrying out his orders. They burst into the room, which is conveniently empty, and tear it apart, searching for anything out of place as well as their seals of nobility. When they find what they're looking for, Arthur sees errors, indicating these documents are forged. He takes them to his father, who confirms Arthur's suspicion and decides to hold on to them for the trial tomorrow, this will do perfectly, Uther smiles to himself, knowing his plan will work out just fine.