Chapter 16 – Preparing to Dine

Willow made her nervous way to Lady Morgana's chambers. She knew she wasn't as sophisticated as the court woman. She hoped they wouldn't see through her rough upbringing and think her foolish.

Morgana's serving girl, Guinevere, opened the door. "Willow, come in. We've been waiting for you."

Willow smiled shyly at her. "Thank you, Guinevere."

Guinevere smiled back and showed her to where Lady Morgana stood in front of her bed strewn with dresses. "Willow, it's so nice to have you here at Camelot. This is a much safer place for you than your village of–Crab Tree–is it?"

Willow nodded. "Yes, your ladyship."

Morgana smiled. "Please, just call me Morgana. Titles are so cumbersome. I'm so glad Uther invited you to dine with us. There hasn't really been many opportunities to get to talk to you. I've heard so much about you. I hear now you've saved Arthur's life twice. That's impressive."

Willow blushed. "The first time hardly counts. I only needed to save Prince Arthur then because he saved my life first. That's how he got so wounded. And the second time isn't really to my credit either. Merlin really did most of the saving. Prince Arthur gave me the credit because King Uther has been suspicious of me since I've arrived." Willow looked down at her hands.

Morgana laughed. "Suspicious of you?" She shook her head. "What possible reason should he have to be suspicious of you? Did he think you needed to save all of Camelot?"

Willow shrugged. "It seems King Uther doesn't trust an apprentice healer and would rather have Gaius tend the prince. But Prince Arthur insisted on having me. Merlin was generous enough to allow me to take undeserved credit from him in the foiling of the poison attempt."

Guinevere murmured surprise at each revelation and agreed that Merlin was generous.

Morgana laughed. "And you're too modest. I hear you're a talented healer. Better even than Gaius. That's amazing for one so young."

"I'm not trying to be modest, only honest. And I wouldn't say I'm better than Gaius. It's just that I did the internal stitching of Arthur's wound. I know what the inside damage looks like. It only makes sense that I should continue with his healing."

Guinevere smiled, "I heard there was a competition between Prince Arthur and Merlin to win your affection. Is that true?"

Willow blushed. "I'm afraid I set them up, by telling them I vowed to be a spinster so I could dedicate myself to my work as a healer. Men and boys do seem to love a challenge."

Morgana and Guinevere both laughed. Guinevere nodded and said, "Have you really vowed to be a spinster? Or are you playing hard to get?"

Willow blushed still deeper and added, "Until recently I thought it was a good vow. And poor Prince Arthur is suffering from confusing gratitude with affection. It's a common thing to happen between healers and patients. Granny Millicent says it happens all the time and for most, it passes as soon as the healing care ends."

Guinevere seemed bothered. "Are you doubting his sincerity? Prince Arthur is very sincere. Sincerely arrogant often, but sincere."

Morgana laughed. "Definitely arrogant."

Willow laughed. "I'm not doubting his sincerity. He's sincere, of course. It's just that the offer of a relationship isn't thought through. The king would never allow him to do anything more than dally with me. And he's not really the dallying type. It would be miserable for all involved if it even lasted past the healing process."

Morgana grinned. "Poor Arthur doesn't even know that he has no chance. I almost pity him. Almost."

Guinevere covered her mouth in mirth and pity.

Willow smiled. "He knows now. He caught Merlin and me together."

Both Morgana and Guinevere erupted in laughter. Morgana said, "Do tell."

Willow laughed. "He took it well. Though it perplexed him. He figured he had all of the advantages in that competition." She smiled fondly. "But I already was falling for Merlin before I even met Prince Arthur."

Morgana got a mischievous grin. "What exactly were you and Merlin doing when he caught you? Not practicing your vow of spinsterhood I assume." She raised an eyebrow.

Guinevere giggled and buried her face into the folds of the dress she was hanging up.

Willow grinned. "We were just kissing." They seemed disappointed. "In Swift Frost's stall." The girls busted up laughing.

Morgana wrinkled her nose. "Why there?"

Willow shrugged. "It's where I found him this morning. I went looking for him and he was mucking out Swift Frost's stall." She shrugged again.

Morgana looked down her nose at Willow. "Ew."

Guinevere said, "I think it's romantic."

Morgana rolled her eyes. "You would." But she smiled fondly at Guinivere.

Willow told them a little about the discovery of the assassination attempt and Merlin's help and eventual foiling of it. Then about Merlin's bet with her about the rate of Prince Arthur's healing.

Morgana laughed. "Merlin had an unfair knowledge in that bet. Arthur never stays down long. He hates to be confined."

Willow looked repentant. "Merlin won fair and square, but I renigging and refused to give him the kiss he'd won." She shook her head in sorrow."

Guinevere shook her head. "Kisses aren't prizes to be won."

Morgana grinned, "But you said you kissed him this morning in a horse stall. What happened?"

Willow grinned. "He gave me the dress anyway. It's a beautiful shade of blue and fits me perfectly." She made sure not to mention anything about his magic.

Morgana laughed. "Who would have thought that Merlin could be so romantic."

Willow told them about Merlin leaving before she did anything she would regret in her exhaustion. Willow smiled fondly picturing him.

Guinevere moaned in approval. "He's always a gentleman."

Morgana laughed. "Except when he lets her kiss him while he's mucking out stalls."

Their conversation moved on to dresses for dinner that night. Guinevere went to retrieve Willow's dress from her room while Morgana showed her other options. Willow tried them on. They fit poorly since Morgana was somewhat taller than Willow. When Guinevere returned with the blue dress Merlin had given her both girls gushed over it. They insisted Willow try it on for them. It fit like a glove and flattered her well.

Morgana said thoughtfully, "I think I'm going to get him to help us out with our accessories.".

They exclaimed over Merlin's ability to size her up without measurements. They decided it must have been luck since he hadn't really had time to have it made especially for her. They went to work finding appropriate slippers and jewelry to match the dress.

Willow said, "I feel strange wearing a dress Merlin gave me when he'll be attending as a servant."

Morgana pishawed her concern away. "He won't mind." She waved her hand airily.

Guinevere said, "I think he would be proud to see that he arrayed you well enough to eat with a king."

Willow smiled remembering his look of surprised pleasure when she asked him to stay last night.

Guinevere asked, "When did you know that Merlin was good enough to give up your vow of spinsterhood for?"

Willow smiled, "Well, I've been wavering for a while now. He's so much fun to be around. But when I saw how sad my renigging and rejection made him, it actually broke my heart to see him hurt. I thought what a heartless beast I was being by not giving him the kiss he'd won fair and square. Then when he gave me the dress I hadn't won anyway, I realized he was an amazingly generous person and that I wanted him to be part of my life and I wanted to be part of his."

Guinevere smiled. "I'm so happy for both of you. I think you make a lovely couple."

Willow felt warm all over. After a few moments though she realized she was about to go eat with a king. "Would either of you be so kind as to help me brush up on my etiquette for tonight's dinner? I'm afraid dining with kings isn't part of my usual training."

Morgana laughed. "It will be refreshing to have you dine with us no matter what your etiquette." She smiled. "Those two's conversation sometimes can be so utterly boring I almost wish Uther would take another wife just to change up the dinner routine."

All three girls laughed hard and long about how the dinner topics would change with the right woman's presence at the table.