For dreamland4 for what was possibly her longest review ;p

Lots of lovely thanks to everyone following this fic – a generous sprinkle of magic dust for all!


As Gwen met Arthur's look, she poked out the tip of a pink tongue to run it over dry lips. She thought she glimpsed a look of despair on the prince's face as she did so but there was nothing she could do about it. The future of Camelot lay in this marriage and she must abide by it no matter how much it might pain either of the would-be lovers.

Anxiety coursed through her as she watched the proceedings unfold before her and the cleric's low voice intoned the words of a short sermon on the sanctity of marriage.


Arthur was staring blankly at Princess Elena, wondering how on earth he was going to go through with the final part of the ceremony. Even at this late stage, he racked his brain trying to think of a way to get out of it. Perhaps he could fake a seizure of some description? That would at least buy him a day or two until a better plan came along.

He was jolted out of his reverie by the urgent whispering of Geoffrey which followed a sharp cough.

"Ahem! Your Highness? Prince Arthur?"

Arthur raised questioning eyes to the cleric.

"Your Highness, the vows." Geoffrey gave him an encouraging smile.

"Oh, uh, of course." The prince looked back to Elena who was regarding him with a hopeful gaze. He felt a bit guilty, after all, he did not think her a bad person and she had also been pushed into this marriage of convenience. It was just her bad luck to be the person who took Arthur away from Gwen.

Arthur hesitated, trying to delay the inevitable. He heard the distinct clearing of his father's throat – a none too subtle signal to his son to get on with it. The expectant hush from the assembled guests began to bubble with confused murmuring.

Finally unable to avoid the inevitable any longer, the prince started to speak when suddenly, he was interrupted by a noisy rustle followed by a solid thud. Arthur looked round to locate the source of the disturbance and part of him was unsurprised to find the cause was Merlin.

From his higher vantage point, Arthur could see through a gap in the crowd that his servant and friend was lying prone on the floor while Gaius and Gwen knelt beside him, a faint expression of bewildered panic etched on the physician's face. A crowd had gathered about the boy and there were some calls for him to be hurriedly removed so that the wedding might continue as no amount of Gaius shaking Merlin's shoulder and calling into his ear would wake him.

Concern for Merlin overtook Arthur. The young man might be a servant to everyone else but Merlin had saved Arthur's life numerous times and moreover, had proved to be a true and loyal friend as well.

To everybody's astonishment, the blond man bounded down the few steps of the dais and over to the fallen sorcerer.

"Arthur!" snapped Uther loudly.

"Just a moment, Father. I want to see that Merlin is well."

"Gaius is looking after him. He's just a servant," was the hissed reply. Uther had given his son's wedding a lot of pomp and circumstance and it would not do for him to be shown up at this critical stage of the proceedings.

"Merlin is my friend and his well-being is of great importance to me." Not only was Arthur grateful for the delay in his wedding, his concern for Merlin was genuine.

"Your bride is waiting." Uther stressed the word.

"Well she can wait a while longer." Arthur never looked in Elena's direction. "Camelot need not worry, I shall do my duty but I will do so when I am certain of Merlin's health. He has saved my life on more occasions than I care to remember."

There was now a loud hum of noise as people not nearby the commotion wondered what had caused the hasty departure of the groom away from the bride who now stood by herself looking forlornly after Arthur.

By now, Merlin had been lifted up by two guards and at Gaius's instructions was taken down to the physician's chambers while Uther could only watch helplessly as the wedding turned into a shambles with the groom abandoning the occasion in favour of a servant!

Camelot's king suppressed his rage and composed himself before calling for everyone's attention.

"My lords and ladies, due to unforeseen circumstances and my son's, uh, great compassion for his fellow man, there will be a delay in proceedings…"


In Gaius's chamber, Merlin lay comatose on a small pallet while his three closest friends stood around him wondering what had happened to make him collapse so suddenly.

"Gwen, could you fetch me some lemonbalm from the kitchen gardens? I can brew it into a tea and it will help soothe the boy when he wakens," Gaius asked Gwen to run the errand.

"Of course, Gaius." Gwen looked worriedly at Merlin before hurrying away.

A few moments passed after the soft 'click' of the closing door had sounded.

One blue eye opened to regard the physician and prince cautiously.

"Has she gone?" asked Merlin quietly.

"Merlin!" exclaimed the prince. "What do you mean 'has she gone?' Do you mean you've been pretending all this time?" asked Arthur. "You interrupted my wedding for a trick?"

Merlin sat up. "I've done you a favour."

"What?" spluttered Arthur. "My father is furious that I've left Princess Elena at the altar, albeit temporarily, because of you! How is that a favour? I should have you strung up!"

The sorcerer squinted curiously at Arthur. "Are you saying you want to marry Elena?"

"Well…no…but that isn't the point," retorted the prince.

"That is the whole point. Arthur, you know that it should be Gwen you're meant to be with and marry and this is a reprieve from marriage to someone you do not love."

Arthur glanced warily over at Gaius who simply inclined his head to acknowledge that he was already aware of the feelings between Arthur and Guinevere.

"So what?" sighed Arthur defeatedly. "Father still wishes me to marry her for the good of the kingdom."

Merlin looked questioningly at his friend. "Well, he may not wish to if he thought it were the work of magic."

Arthur shook his head uncomprehendingly.

Gaius took over. "We believe that Princess Elena is being influenced by magic, pixies in fact."

"You're in on this?" Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"Well, there have been some indication that aspects of Elena's personality are reminiscent of the pixie Grunhilda."

"How do you know her name? It is a 'her'?" asked Arthur.

"Uh, there is mention of such a creature in the lorebooks." Gaius skated quickly over the subject of his knowledge of magical creatures.

"So anyway," Merlin came to his mentor's rescue. "If Gaius says that there is magic at work here, then Uther can be persuaded to postpone the wedding until it has been proved or disproved…"

"And your collapse is the first sign of such magic." Arthur finished Merlin's sentence.

Gaius nodded slightly. "Your father knows that I have some knowledge of magical issues. I believe he would listen if I were to inform him of my suspicion. After all, he would not wish to run the risk of his son and heir being held in thrall to magic."

"And that would leave you free to marry Gwen." Merlin added with a grin.

"Marry Gwen?" Arthur's voice was almost a squeak.

"Well don't you?"

"Maybe," conceded Arthur who had become very quiet and shy all of a sudden. A thought occurred to him. "How long are you going to keep up this pretence?"

"As long as need be until we can prove it."

"And who will do your work while you are 'unconscious'?"

Merlin couldn't resist a smirk. "I guess you will just have to do it yourself."

Arthur's jaw dropped. "I think not! I will just have to bring my armour down here for you to polish."

"Sire, don't you think it might look a bit suspicious if you do that? Many people would question why the court physician is cleaning armour for you. I suspect you might have to employ another servant in the meantime." Gaius could not hide the slight twinkle in his rheumy eyes.

Arthur huffed a little as he folded his arms and looked from Merlin to Gaius and back again.

"All this for me?"

"No," Merlin replied. "All this for you and Gwen."


Light footsteps could be heard coming towards the chamber.

"Shhh," warned Gaius as Merlin quickly lay back down and assumed his unconscious pose.