A/N: Hey! Here's chapter 3. I promise I've already started chapter 5. I haven't written a lot lately, but that's all my friend Jackalyn's fault; she gave me a new book-.-

Anywhoo, this chapter is dedicated to my friend Linley, because she gave me Star Wars cookies!

Chapter 3: The Once and Future Queen – part 1

Merlynn POV

Arthur was such an idiot. He had convinced himself that all of his knights were just letting him win, and he wanted to prove himself – never mind the fact that he'd won countless tournaments against opponents from outside of Camelot.

He told his father he needed to leave for a few days to go deal with a magical beast close to the northern borders. Arthur never actually left Camelot, though. He still wanted to compete in the upcoming jousting tournament, so he decided to conceal his presence in the city to avoid preferential treatment.

Naturally, I still had to hide him somewhere, and Gaius's chambers were not exactly the most inconspicuous place, so I asked Gwen for a huge favour. She wasn't happy about it, but she knew how much it meant to me.

I also found a farmer from one of the outlying villages to play a 'knight'. Arthur would be the one actually competing, but we needed a public face. I forged another seal of nobility (Arthur gave me a look, but didn't ask) and we had a new knight: Sir William of Deira.

Of course, we didn't tell Gaius about this whole arrangement, so I was working full-time on both my job as Arthur's servant, and Gaius's apprentice.

The morning after smuggling Arthur back into the city, the tournament began, and 'Sir William' was doing a fair impersonation for someone who had never even seen a knight before I'd brought him to Camelot. As Arthur competed – and won, round after round – Gwen found me and complained about Arthur's rude behaviour. "How do you put up with it? How did you ever fall for him? You're always so nice…" she said, sitting with me in Sir William's tent. The actual Sir William was passed out on a cot in the corner.

"I don't know. I just did, I guess…" I replied, polishing Arthur's spare shield.

"But he's such a…" Gwen trailed off.

"Prat?" I offered, and Gwen laughed.

"Yes, a prat."

"You get used to it. And he's less of a prat when he has all of his luxuries around him. Remember Ealdor? It was just luck that he respected my mother enough not to be rude."

"It's not that he's rude on purpose," Gwen interjected. "He's just so oblivious."

I sighed sadly. "I know."

"Oh, Merlynn, I didn't mean it that way… I just meant that he expects me to cater to his every whim and never even says 'thank you'. He even took my bed!"

I frowned. "You let him take your bed?"

"I didn't let him do anything. He's the prince–"

"That doesn't mean that everyone has to kiss up to him," I interrupted. "Knock him over the head if he won't listen, it's what I do most of the time."

Gwen grinned at the image. "I'll be fine. It's only a few more days, right?"

"What's only a few more days?" Arthur asked as he walked into the tent. Gwen and I made eye contact and burst out laughing.

"Nothing, sire," I managed between sniggers. "Just girl talk."

Arthur just rolled his eyes and woke 'William' up to acknowledge the crowd.

/*/

After a rather explosive rant to Gaius as a result of a lack of sleep, I joined Gwen and Arthur in William's tent again. As Arthur jousted against Sir Leon, Gwen told me what had happened the previous night.

"For a moment, I really thought he was being noble, and he sounded so sincere. And then he was being a prat again."

I laughed. "He doesn't do it on purpose, Gwen. He's been told since birth that he's special and that others should always treat him like the royalty he is."

"That's no excuse, though," she said.

"I know, I'm working on it. Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't sacked me yet. I'm probably the only one who doesn't treat him that way," I said thoughtfully.

"That's why he loves you, he just doesn't realize it yet," Gwen whispered so that 'William' wouldn't hear.

I had no answer to that.

/*/

As 'Sir William' was greeting the crowds and Arthur was resting in the tent, I watered the horse. A dark-skinned man approached me, petting the horse.

"He's a fine horse. I see your master has advanced to the finals. He's extremely skilled with a lance," the man said, not unkindly.

"He's doing well. Just one more match to go," I said with a smile. I was excited, both for Arthur, and for all this to be over.

"Tell me, what is he like to work for?" the stranger asked curiously.

"Between you and me, he can be a bit of a prat," I said mock-conspiratorially.

The man laughed along. "So you are no longer working for prince Arthur?"

"No," I answered automatically. "Well, yes actually, not right now. Arthur's away, I was just reassigned." I really hoped he hadn't heard the lie in my voice.

"Well, I wish your master luck in the final," the man said kindly, and walked off.

I watched him go, an uneasy feeling growing in my gut. I didn't trust that man.

/*/

On my way to Gwen's house after the tournament was over, I encountered her on the street.

"Gwen," I called, smiling.

"Merlynn. I yelled at Arthur," she said bluntly. She looked a little uncomfortable at the memory.

"Why?" I asked.

"He was just so rude, and I… I snapped. But he told me I was right, and that he was going to cook me dinner," she said. She looked a little puzzled, and a bit worried at that prospect.

"Arthur's cooking?" I asked apprehensively. The prince was okay if he had to skin and roast meat over an open fire, but an actual meal?

Gwen shrugged.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't burn your house down. Or poison you, for that matter," I said with a grin.

Gwen returned the smile, looking more than a little relieved. "Thanks, Merlynn, I appreciate it."

/*/

When I walked into Gwen's house, Arthur was inspecting the chicken like he'd never seen one before. Come to think of it, he probably hadn't ever seen an uncooked one before.

"Gwen says you're cooking," I stated, pulling a face. I knew how bad his cooking skills were.

"Merlynn, thank god. I need you to go to the palace kitchens and fetch me two meals."

"So, you're not cooking?"

"No, and Gwen doesn't need to know that. As far as she's concerned, dinner will have been prepared and cooked by me."

"Are you trying to impress her?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't hear the disappointment in my voice. 'Please say no, please say no...'

"Don't be ridiculous, Merlynn. And get me a decent shirt, these clothes are making me itch all over."

I crossed my arms. "If you said you're going to cook for her, then you're going to cook for her. I'll walk you through it, it'll be fine."

"But I don't want to cook dinner," Arthur said in his best impersonation of a petulant five-year-old.

I just raised an eyebrow and set to work.

/*/

Later that night, Gaius and I were called to examine a dead body. It was a guard whose neck had been broken. It appeared that King Odin had sent an assassin to kill Arthur.

Uther ordered Leon to have the entire lower town searched. As soon as the knight and king left, I bent down to the guard's body. I really didn't want to do this, but I had to. For Arthur.

I touched the man's skin and instantly relived his last moments. It was dark, but I saw the assassin's face clearly in the memory. It was the stranger that had talked to me. I had to tell Arthur!

/*/

When I stormed into Gwen's house, Arthur and Gwen jumped apart, like they had been about to do something they shouldn't have been. I shook it aside. This was Gwen, for God's sakes. She would never.

"Arthur, there's an assassin in Camelot, he's here to kill you. He killed a guard, and I… I touched his face…"

"Merlynn…" Arthur's voice sounded equal parts worried, exasperated and angry.

"The assassin talked to me today, Arthur. He's here, and he's trying to find you. He knows you're not with the patrol. Your father said Odin sent him."

"Why would Odin want you dead?" Gwen asked.

Arthur walked to the other side of the table, and stared at the opposite wall. "Because I killed his son."

"What?" I breathed. Arthur would never kill a man in cold blood, I knew that.

"Odin's son challenged me to a fight. I had no quarrel with him. I asked him to withdraw. Perhaps he felt he had to prove himself… I still see his face… He looked so scared."

For a moment, it was quiet. Then I stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You cannot blame yourself, Arthur," I whispered. Then, louder: "No one but us knows where you are, if the assassin can't find you, he can't kill you."

"May I continue to stay here?" he asked of Gwen. He really was learning manners.

"Of course, for as long as you need," Gwen replied immediately.

As they argued over sleeping arrangements, I felt a small twinge of doubt. Had something happened between the two of them…?

A/N: IMPORTANT! Tell me your feelings about Morgana, good, evil... I already made plans, but I would really appreciate your input.