Entr'acte of Act TWO! :D I know- I said one week- but I took an extra day, and actually because of school and work at the same time I've had very little chance to work on the other chapters. I'm almost finished with 8, and I did the end of 12 and a bit of 11 but I need a little more time with those to get em right. So I figured I'd give you the next one to feed the excitement before August ends!
Thank you to everyone who's read, favorited, followed and reviewed! Special thanks again goes to Spiritus Rex who's been cheering me on to finish! If you guys like Merlin fics tho you should check out her stuff- it's really super good!
Thanks to larasmith and the Guest who both reviewed and all of your feedback really made me happy! Since I can't PM you Guest, I'll answer one of your questions here real quick!
To the one you asked for Chapter Three, about Gwen being colored and somehow passing as Arthur's sister, (which is a very excellent question btw) no, Arthur is still the image of the light-skinned Bradley James (in a perfect world skin color wouldn't matter) but the vendor wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer if yknow what I mean? A little far-fetched in reality I know, but I mean, their love transcends race and class already right? Why not bend the rules a bit more? ^^ I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
Ok- on with Chapter Seven! Hope you guys catch all the references in this one :D
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fic.
Albionian Nights
A Merlin Aladdin!AU
Chapter Seven: To Be a Prince
A very angry King Elyan and Princess Guinevere stormed into the throne room, confronting a very unsettled Agravaine.
"This is an outrage, Agravaine!" Elyan shouted. "If it weren't for your dedicated years of service with our father and with me, I would sack you on the spot!" Agravaine flinched noticeably, fearing for his plot. "From now on, you will discuss sentencing of prisoners with me, especially if they are to be executed, and before the deed is done, do you understand?!" Agravaine let out a slow breath, relief flooding him. He silkily regained his composure.
"I assure you King Elyan, it will not happen again," he bowed to Elyan deeply, and the King crossed his arms.
"It better well not," Elyan replied coldly, before turning to his sister with a tired smile. "Now, Agravaine, Gwen, can we put this behind us incident behind us?" Guinevere was still upset, and Agravaine turned to address her directly.
"I give my most humble apologies to you as well, Guinevere," Agravaine murmured, taking Gwen's hand, but she yanked it away, narrowing her eyes.
"At least some good will come of my being forced to marry," she hissed at him. "When I'm queen, I'll have the power to get rid of you." With that, she stormed out, and Elyan followed behind, calling her name. Agravaine growled furiously as Morgause weakly flew up to his shoulder, still slightly injured from the rock.
"If only I had gotten that lamp!" he hissed, causing the parrot to flinch, ashamed.
"Well, what are we going to do then, sit around here the rest of our lives kissing up to those brats?" she asked, and Agravaine shook his head.
"No, Morgause, only until that brat princess finds her stupid husband and eventually ascends to the throne. Then she'll have us exiled, or worse, burnt at the stake!" he grimaced, shuddering. Morgause perked her head up.
"w-Wait, Agravaine, what if you were the stupid husband!" she blurted, coiling back when she saw her owner's expression. "I mean- what if you married the princess? Then you will be next to become the King!"
"Go on," Agravaine said, interested.
"Well, once you get married, all you'll have to do then is get the brother-in-law and the little wife together and then-" Morgause's eyes glowed and a nearby potted plant blew up in fire, causing Agravaine to laugh.
"Oh my dear, I love the way your wicked little mind works!"
Meanwhile, far away from the Cave of Wonders, the trio of Merlin, Arthur, and the Carpet were landing in a clearing by a lake. Merlin gave a little smirk as they hopped off, crossing his arms.
"Well, you little doubting dollop-head, what did you think of that?" the genie beamed. Arthur grinned in response.
"Oh, you sure proved me wrong," he chuckled, casually making his way towards a tree to lean on. "Now about my three wishes…" Merlin raised his eyebrow and gave a lopsided smile.
"Um, did I hear you right? Three wishes? Nah, you're down by one, Arthur!" he remarked, sticking his finger in Arthur's face. The blond only grinned wider, pushing the genie's finger out of his face.
"Nope, I didn't actually wish to get out of the cave," Arthur pointed out. "You did that on your own." Merlin thought over this for a second, before his jaw dropped, muttering incomprehensible protests.
"Well then, don't I feel like a bumbling idiot? Fine, you got me there, but no more free ones!" Arthur laughed.
"Fair enough," he replied, scrunching up his face in thought. "Now…three wishes…they should be good ones too, I don't want to waste them." The teen turned to Merlin, who was floating between two trees as if he were on a hammock. "Well, what would you wish for?" For the second time, the scruffy street rat's heart shocked Merlin.
"-oH, well, heh… n-nobody's ever asked me that before… to be honest," Merlin murmured wistfully. Arthur tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows. Merlin thought for a moment. "Well, if it were me," he began, getting a hopeful smile, but then shaking his head dejectedly. "No, no, it's stupid, forget I said anything."
"What? No, tell me!" Merlin grabbed Arthur's shoulders.
"Freedom," Merlin whispered longingly, boring his eyes into Arthur's, then after a beat, looking away. Arthur pulled out the lamp and glanced at it inquisitively.
"You're a prisoner?" Arthur asked, to which the genie nodded sadly.
"It doesn't have many good perks, being a genie," Merlin admitted glumly. "I got all this phenomenal power, but what does it get me, a cramped little lamp to live in, and people treating me like I'm a worthless slave." Arthur didn't know what to say.
"Merlin…that's terrible."
"But, oh- to be free! To be my own master, not to have to constantly be at someone's side asking what they need every second, to be able to do as I please and see the world, that's what would be more meaningful to me than all the magic in all the world!" Merlin's eyes glittered with long-held hope, rising up into the air, holding his hands close to his heart. Arthur looked on his actions sympathetically. Merlin lowered his head and slowly descended onto the ground, sitting on the grass with his legs crossed. "But who am I kidding? It's not going to happen. The only way I can be free is if my master wishes for it…"
"I'll do it," Arthur interrupted, a determined look on his face. Merlin scoffed.
"C'mon, don't lie. It won't make me feel any better," he responded, lowering his gaze. Arthur put his hand on Merlin's shoulder and the genie looked up.
"No, I promise," he assured firmly, honesty in his voice. "I'll use my first two wishes for myself, then for my third wish, I'll set you free." Merlin had an odd look of wonder on his face. Arthur stuck his hand out to Merlin. "We'll shake on it." Merlin stood up, hesitantly taking Arthur's hand and shaking it.
"Well, here's to hoping, I guess." Merlin smiled. "Right then, time to make some magic!" Merlin was once again in the air and he did a somersault, purple fire flaring from his fingertips. "What is it that you want most?" Arthur rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, there's this girl…"
"Come on! I told you I don't make people fall in love!"
"Oh, but Merlin, she's smart, and fun, and down to Earth, and…" Merlin grinned.
"Pretty?"
"Beautiful!" Arthur corrected, a wide, love-struck smile on his face. The genie leaned against a tree, beside Carpet, looking on the blond.
"Ah, young love," he commented wistfully. Arthur continued to describe Gwen.
"But- she's a princess, if I wanted any chance with her, I'd have to be a-" Arthur hesitated, eyes perking up and getting an idea. "Hey, Merlin, could you make me a prince?"
Merlin thought for a moment, and then nodded confidently, strolling over to Arthur. "Now is that an official wish?" he asked slyly. Arthur nodded.
"Merlin, I wish for you to make me a prince!"
Merlin giggled. "Alright! Let's do this!" He flew around Arthur, scrutinizing him from head to toe. "Hm, yeah, these rags totally say 'simpleton'." Arthur shrugged.
"People say street rat, but yeah, you get the picture."
Merlin wiggled his fingers and magically pulled out a ribbon from thin air, tying it around Arthur, then spinning it free, whirling the teen around rapidly. With a magical burst of light from his hands and a golden glow of his eyes, Arthur stopped spinning and he looked at himself in shock. In place of his peasant rags, he was wearing brilliantly shining chainmail and a scarlet cape with a golden dragon crest, and beneath the chainmail were equally red clothes, brown padded trousers and firm leather boots. In his belt he had a magnificent sword unlike one he had ever seen, with the engraving 'Excalibur' on it. Merlin grinned.
"Now that I like! You look like a genuine knightly prince, Sire," Merlin added, bowing comically at the blonde. "One last thing to your image, though," he pointed out, conjuring a small crown in his hands and placing it atop Arthur's head. Arthur grinned widely.
"Wow, Merlin, this is amazing! I look like a prince!"
Merlin's bright blue eyes twinkled with mischievous magical power. "Ohho, Sire you may look like a prince, but we're faR from being done!"
Agravaine walked into the throne room where Elyan sat, holding an old tome in his hands.
"Sire, I believe I have found a way to solve the problem with your sister!" Elyan raised a dark eyebrow as his advisor opened the book and read from it. "It says it right here, "If the princess does not choose a suitor by the appointed time, the King shall choose for her!"" Elyan scoffed, placing his head on his hand.
"Yes, but I've already done that, and everyone I've sent for, Gwen hates," Elyan explained tiredly. "How can I condemn my sister to such a dreadful marriage?"
"Not to worry, my King, there is more," Agravaine continued eagerly. "If, in the event a suitable prince cannot be found, the princess must, oh my." Elyan sat up, interested.
"What is it?"
"It says, the princess must be wed to the royal advisor…why, that would be me!" Agravaine exclaimed in a hushed tone, feigning surprise and confusion. Elyan, however, was genuinely surprised, taking the book from Agravaine's hands, scrolling through it.
"But I could have sworn the law said only a prince could marry the princess?" he muttered, flipping through the pages. Agravaine smirked as Morgause flew to his shoulder, and her eyes glowed gold.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Sire," Agravaine whispered to Elyan and the enchanted king nodded slowly.
"Desperate…measures…" he repeated in a daze. Agravaine grinned.
"You must order Guinevere to marry me," he hissed, and Elyan was about to respond, when he blinked rapidly, glancing up at Agravaine with his warm brown eyes, the enchantment broken.
"But…you're so old!" Elyan protested, and Agravaine let out a growl as Morgause's eyes glowed brighter.
All of a sudden, trumpets filled the air of the town below the castle of Camelot, and people young and old gathered to see the commotion. The enchantment was once again blocked, to Agravaine's dismay, and Elyan perked up to hear the music, running to the balcony. A glum and pissed off advisor followed suit, wanting to skewer whoever was the cause of this disturbance.
"Make way! Make way! Make way for Prince Arturus Draconis!" a brilliantly dressed emissary bellowed loudly, flashing a gleaming smile at the people gathering as a huge entourage followed behind him, Arthur riding on a large white and gold horse as the main point of attention. "You're gonna love this guy!"
The emissary grinned, as he was truly Merlin the genie in disguise, and his eyes surreptitiously glowed gold, fireworks going off behind Arthur. The King, Agravaine, and from her own room, Guinevere, and Morgana, watched as Arthur and his parade made their way to the castle.
"Prince Arturus Draconis, the bravest and noblest in all of Albion!" Merlin roared with pride. "And the handsomest too!" Arthur waved at the people, winking at all the young ladies, who swooned. Gwen scoffed, turning away from the window and shutting it as Morgana smirked. "Not only that, but he's generous too!"
And as Merlin said this, Arthur reached into his bag and threw out gold coins to the poor people he recognized from his days on the streets. Eventually they made their way to the castle gates and the front doors of the castle. Agravaine tried to close the door, but it was burst open by a supernatural thrust from Merlin.
The disguised genie winked at the King and saddled over to him. "Heard your princess was a sight lovely to see!" With flair, he presented his friend. "Make way for Prince Arturus!" Elyan smiled warmly and Agravaine did not mimic the gesture. As the parade was being shoved out by Agravaine, Merlin took the opportunity to slink unnoticed back into the lamp hidden inside of Arthur's bag.
"Very impressive, I must admit," the King praised. "Don't you think so, Agravaine?"
"I'm speechless," the advisor replied in a deadpan tone. Arthur smiled and stood up in the saddle, which was actually Carpet, and he flew down to bow to Elyan, who gasped.
"What a remarkable device you have!" he remarked, shaking "hands" with Carpet. Arthur chuckled.
"It's a magic carpet," the teen explained.
"How extraordinary!"
"Sire, I must intercede on Guinevere's behalf, I don't think this Arturnip-"
"Arturus!"
"Whatever- is a right fit for the princess! He can't just parade in here and think he is worthy!"
"Nonsense, Prince Arturus seems to be a strong, upstanding young man! Agravaine, you should know I'm an excellent judge of character."
"My King, I don't think he should stay! I don't trust him."
"I think Gwen will like him."
"Just let me meet the princess, I'm sure I could win her over!" Arthur beamed, but a loud scoff was heard from behind as a very upset Guinevere walked in with her arms crossed, having heard their conversation.
"I'm disgusted, at all of you! Deciding my fate like that! I am not a prize to be won!" she scolded, marching away angrily, and Arthur's heart fell. This would be harder than he expected…
Elyan patted Arthur's shoulder as he led the teen away. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll come around."
Agravaine narrowed his eyes and glanced to Morgause. "I think it's time we got rid of Prince Arturnip, and set our own plan in action."
I think you all know what's coming up next ;) the big Gwerthur scene!
When I'm finished (it shouldn't be too much longer) I'll post it next.
Coming Soon- Chapter Eight: A Whole New World!
See you then!
-DMRA