CHAPTER 2 – Of Grapes, Ankles and Rules for the Game.
Meanwhile the girls were being led through the castle.
"So Sir Leon" asked Emma with a suspicious glint in her eye "How good at netball are you?" The other girls held back laughter at his momentarily confused face.
"Well, we are undoubtedly the best in the five kingdoms" Offered Leon
"We are what?" Asked Elyan earning a shove from Percival, who being quite strong managed to push him into a wall.
"Ouch!" Murmured Elyan, as the girls found yet another excuse to laugh – this was turning out to be more fun than they imagined!
"Yes, we are unbeaten" Nodded Percival enthusiastically earning him an encouraging nod from Leon.
"And so" questioned Lili "Who is on your team?" This team directing her question to Lancelot who clearly had no idea what was going on, having missed the earlier exchange.
"Well there's obviously us four" He stated looking around for help. The girls looked unimpressed. "Oh and Gwaine" they cast secretive looks around "And Arthur…" He said hesitantly – he didn't even know what they were talking about let alone how many were in a team! One girl, Emma, whispered to another who giggled then immediately put on a solemn face. "And Merlin…" The girls nodded, yet they still didn't seem satisfied.
"And your reserves?" Prompted Katie as they walked up some stairs and round a corner and saw an angry Uther approaching their way with a servant by his side. The knights desperately shoved them all in a room to the side and shut the door quietly behind them. Lancelot put his ear to the door and waited for Uther to pass before glancing back at his companions, some lying on the floor after being pushed in roughly by each other (by this he meant the girls pushing the knights in). He nodded as he heard footsteps pass, and they let out a sigh of relief.
"Where on earth are we?" Whispered Elyan glancing around at the dust covered corridor. Leon and Lancelot turned to face each other
"The third floor corridor" They whispered, the terror showing on their faces. With that Percival and Elyan paled, and they quickly pulled the girls to their feet and pulled them back through the door. They had all heard Gaius' warning one too many times…
"Arthur I have told you once and I have told you again I have no idea how to play this game you keep on insisting I tell you about!" Gaius said raising one solitary eyebrow with a quizzical look.
"But Gaiuuuuus" moaned Arthur slamming his head against the table with a groan.
"Although" Gaius continued, with a smirk on his wrinkly face "I know someone who might".
Three hours later and Arthur was sat slumped at a desk in the Castles library. Gaius and Geoffrey were having a great old chat as they flicked through books looking for this mysterious game known as "net – ball", but Arthur having dropped a book on the floor, had been forbidden to touch anything. And that meant anything. No goblet of wine (although he suspected Gaius and Geoffrey might have had his fair share) and nothing to keep his interest up. As another book was discarded into the pile Arthur sighed, and went to pick it up without either of them noticing. A short while later Arthur was standing outside the library rubbing his head where he had been whacked by the angry librarian. It wasn't his fault a grape exploded over it! And so he set off in search of someone to yell at. Namely, Merlin.
He walked into his chambers to find not only his idiot of a servant there grinning as he polished some shoes, but all of his knights it seemed. And they didn't look best pleased. Leon, Elyan, Percival and Lancelot were sitting sedately at his table, whilst Gwaine appeared to be jumping on his bed. Mature. As he strode into his own bedroom, they all turned to face him and Gwaine quickly pretended he wasn't jumping on the bed by checking the ceiling for woodworm. The knights at the table folded their arms and looked… disapprovingly at him – surely that was treason!?
"Arthur" began Lancelot – he was clearly their elected spokesman "What does this game of net-ball involve? You see, we were thinking, what would happen if we lost…?"
"What he is trying to say is, you better know how to play Princess, as we have our reputation to uphold!" Said Gwaine, finally getting down from the bed. At this Merlin laughed and quickly ended up with polish all over his face from Gwaine. It was turning into one of those days… Arthur looked at his knights – no, friends, and told them the situation.
"Well, as much as Gaius, Geoffrey and I have tried, we have no idea what this game is" Arthur said, sad to have to let his friends down. Merlin sniggered and said
"I told you so" earning him a glare from Leon.
"Oh, but didn't we tell you Merlin you're playing too" Percival said innocently. Merlin glared back and began to mutter things under his breath as he threw the boots to the grounds.
"Well, then there's only one thing for it" Elyan said. 'Finally' thought Arthur, 'someone sensible might be able to help' as he glanced around at his friends.
"We will have to ask the girls" He said grimacing.
"NOOOOOOOOOO" yelled Gwaine admitting defeat and he held his head in his hands, completely forgetting about the black shoe polish still on them. They all laughed, and Gwaine glanced around warily – what had happened? Completely forgetting of course, that his face now had two black handprints all over it. Merlin grinned – already thinking what the rest of the castles reaction would be to the knights "make up".
"He's right" said Arthur to Gwaine, "although it is too much like admitting defeat if you ask me." The others nodded. "What rooms did you put them in?" He asked.
"Fourth floor, eastern corridor" Percival supplied usefully.
Of course, that was where they were meant to be anyway. The knights wandered to the fourth floor, where the five strange girls were sat on their beds. Katie and Lili were discussing tactics for tomorrow's netball game, Becca and Holly were completely fangirling over the fact that they were in Camelot and just met Arthur, Merlin and the knights of Camelot, and Emma… well, Emma went to sleep, but the loud knock at the door woke her up and made everyone alert.
"Hello?" Lili said softly.
"I hope we are not interrupting anything" Arthur said politely.
"No, please. Come in" Holly invited them in. Arthur walked in first, promptly followed by the knights and Merlin tagged along on the end. "How may we help me?"
"We thought it was common courtesy to check upon our guests."
"Wait, about an hour ago we were charged with sorcery. So now, why are now being treated like guests?" Emma asked, now sat up in her bed.
"Well, since you are not known to Camelot, then I cannot make judgements about how you arrived"
"And also, you are women so it is only fair that we look after you-" Percival injected into the conversation.
"Are you saying because we are women, we cannot look after ourselves?" Katie asked as she stood up and gave Percival a stern look.
"Well…"
"Of course he is! I mean, just look at the state of all of you." Gwaine interrupted Percival. "You are all showing your ankles and wearing men's clothes. No woman should go around without a dress" At this point, Katie and Emma were fuming with rage. They looked at each other and stood up; Emma then punched Gwaine and Katie kicked him.
"By the way, don't attempt to wear make-up again Sir Gwaine." Katie replied to his impolite comment.
"It doesn't do you any favours." Emma finished Katie's sentence and the rest of the girls began to giggle.
Merlin emerged from the back of the group and saw Gwaine laying on the floor out cold. Holly saw him and grabbed Becca's arm in excitement as she just saw her favourite 'character' from the series.
"The real reason we are her is because do not know how to play your ball-of-net game and we…" Merlin looked back at the other knights and Arthur beckoning them forward "…were wondering if you could teach us". The girls looked at each other but before any of them were able to speak, Holly was the one to reply.
"YES! We would love to help you!" She screamed with excitement and nudged Becca. "Wouldn't we Becca?" Becca began to smile as she saw Arthur and the knights assembled in their room.
"If they need help, we will give them it." Becca said. She grabbed the piece of chalk that Lili was using and beckoned the knights over to herself, Holly and Emma. Whilst everyone was crowded around Katie's bed and Gwaine had finally regained his senses, Merlin was awkwardly standing at the door, not knowing what to do or who to talk to. Lili gave Katie a look which said "We need to know" and Katie nodded in agreement. They walked over to Merlin who had just knocked something over (no surprise there).
"Merlin, can we talk to you?" Katie asked. Merlin looked surprised, why would they want to talk to Arthur's serving boy?
"Ummm… ok. Is something wrong? Would you like me to fetch you anything?" He asked.
"No Merlin. We need some information off of you." Lili replied. "We need to know what has just happened at this point in time."
"What do you mean?"
"What is the most recent event that has happened in Camelot?" Katie asked. Merlin pondered on a few thoughts for a moment until he came to a conclusion.
"Well, Morgana has just been exiled from Camelot for sorcery, and I guess that's why Uther has been so miserable and treating people harshly."
"So that means Arthur hasn't… you know…" Lili whispered to Katie. Katie nodded, knowing exactly what Lili meant.
"Merlin… There will come a point in time when-" Lili began to speak, but at that point Holly had just finished explaining to the knights how to play netball.
"Well thank you Miss Jenkins, Miss Price and Miss Brice for that… insightful explanation." Arthur exclaimed. The knights thanked Holly, Emma and Becca for their help and went to walk out the door, when Merlin nudged Arthur and gave him a look. Arthur had a blank expression on his face, when he remembered what he was supposed to say. "We were wondering… if the five of you would join the knights and me at dinner this evening"
The girls looked at each other in amazement. They tried to accuse them of sorcery and now they are treating them like princesses.
"Ummm… sure…." Holly finally replied after an awkward silence of about 5 seconds.
"Can we just stay like this?" Emma asked. "Sir Gwaine said the way we dress was 'inappropriate'" She scowled at him and Gwaine flinched.
"Merlin will be back with some dresses for all of you" Arthur said with a smile. "I said… Merlin will be back with dresses for you" This time he said it through his teeth and Merlin got the idea. He ran out of the room quickly to find 'suitable attire' for the girls. "We look forward to seeing you all at dinner" Arthur finished his sentence and walked out of the room with the knights closely behind him.