A/N: Here's the second chapter!
Honestly didn't expect to update this soon, but when it rains, it pours I guess
Oh yeah, context - Lancelot and Gwen are NOT yet together here. Actually, none of them are together because they are all idiots, IDIOTS IN LOVE.
Morgana looked around the room, resisting the urge to hit her head repeatedly on the wall behind her.
The group had gathered at 11 PM. It was now 4 AM, and they were no closer to making an actual plan. She already came up with the idea - get Arthur crazily, murderously, indubitably jealous, all that's left to do is to discuss the specifics. Does she have to do everything on her own?
The door burst open, and in comes Percival, holding a plate of pie. The big oaf, oblivious to his own size, walked over to the group, knocking over a vase on the table.
Crash. The blue vase crashed to the ground, splitting in hundreds of pieces, the flowers it contained, scattered haphazardly across the ground.
"You have got to be kidding me," Morgana mumbled to herself, running her hand across her usually wavy hair. Now, it stood frazzled, her magic nervously passing through them in her frustration.
She waved her fingers over the vase, her eyes glittering gold. The pieces floated in mid-air for half a second before piecing itself back together.
"Ooops," Percival smiled. At least he had the decency to look guilty as he grinned at the table. "I brought pie this time."
"Please tell me it's not pumpkin," Gwaine said, producing a fork from his tunic.
"It's pecan and it's the last slice." Percival grinned, holding it front of him. That got the knights scrambling from their seats, almost knocking Morgana down in the process.
She bit back a squeak as Gwaine, in his excitement to get the first bite, accidentally elbowed her side. Leon, usually the most composed of the knights, stepped on her toes as he ran towards Percival, barely acknowledging her pained expression.
Percival held the plate above his head, knowing full well it was above the reach of his fellow knights. He smirked, laughing as Gwaine and Elyan tried to jump, their hands outstretched like kids.
"Give me!" Elyan yelled.
"Percival, I am the First Knight of Camelot, I order you to give me the pie," Leon said, holding out his hand, head raised high.
"Percy I'm your best mate," Gwaine pouted.
"I thought that was Merlin," Percival said, raising his eyebrows.
"Well-"
And then Gwaine, Elyan, and Leon all lunged at Percival.
"Percival, I would like to save you the trouble of choosing by taking the problem off of your hands." Lancelot crept from behind Percival, jumped and tried to take the plate from him.
The knight, surprised at the sudden attack, jumped from shock, resulting in the plate, and the much-coveted pie, flying a few meters high. The pecan pie, famous all over the castle for its delectable taste and was rarer than Uther's smile, landed on a soft plop on Morgana's feet.
Her eye twitched, her hand itching to cast a spell to turn the insolent fools in front of her into toads - no slugs! Would Camelot really miss 5 knights? Surely, no one would notice after the first two weeks.
"ENOUGH!" she slammed her hand down the table. From the antechamber, a jar exploded to bits, a result of the Pendragon's untethered magic.
"Uh-" all five knights at least had the decency to look ashamed. "Sorry," the five knights - no oafs said in unison.
"I have heard nothing but useless ideas from all of you. Either you give me one great idea or I swear to the triple fucking goddesses, Camelot will be shy of five knights by first light! And Percival, one more trip to the kitchens and I will strip you of your title and make you into a kitchen maid or so help me!" Morgana screamed.
The knights winced, trying their hardest not to cover their ears.
"Ideas now!" Morgana barked. Gwaine couldn't help but see the similarity between the Pendragon princess and the King of Camelot when he's barking orders on the battlefield. "Now, I'll be calling each of you and if you don't give me an idea." she didn't have to finish her sentence as sparks flew from her outstretched hand.
"Gwaine!"
"Uh- er tavern?"
"Is that the only thing inside your useless brain?" Morgana started, sparks flying dangerously from her hand.
"Well Lady Morgana," Gwen interrupted, all too knowing at how powerful the High Priestess could be. While she too was developing a migraine, Camelot could not exactly afford to lose some knights right now. "I think we can give that a try. Merlin when drunk tends to be uhhh—"
A pink hue erupted from Gwen's cheeks as she struggled to form her thoughts.
"Touchy?" Leon offered.
"Flirty?" Elyan said.
"Affectionate?" Lancelot suggested.
"Slutty?" Gwaine smirked, trying to calm his beating heart. While courageous in battle, the knight did not want to know what tortures Morgana had in store for them if they don't come up with a plan.
"Yes." Gwen squeaked, looking at the floor intently.
"Get Merlin drunk at the tavern? That's what we can come up with?" Morgana threw her hands in the air. Maybe, just maybe, Morgause was right and she should've just destroyed Camelot in her rage.
"We could pay someone from the brothel to…" the words died from Percival's mouth as he realised everyone's outraged faces. His face turned redder than a tomato, eyes flitting from one object to another, unable to look anyone in the eye.
"My my, been going to the brothel much, Percy?" Gwaine winked suggestively, running a hand across his hair, "why you wouldn't just come to my chambers, I wouldn't know."
Elyan choked on the wine he was drinking. Lancelot was far too happy to hit him in the back to "help" him out.
"I-er-uh," Percival stuttered. Morgana briefly wondered if her magic had gotten away from her and turned the guy red.
"I think let's go with the tavern idea," Leon said, saving his knight from further embarrassment. The King had scheduled to train with the knights that morning and they need all the sleep they can get before they become training dummies for the Once and Future King.
"Aye aye," the rest of the knights agreed.
"So…after 5 hours," Morgana seethed, "all we could come up with…is get Merlin drunk,"
The words were barely whispers, a far cry from her unhinged yelling a few moments ago, but nonetheless, fear pierced through the knights' hearts.
Leon looked at Lancelot with eyes wide who kicked Elyan to get his attention who elbowed Percival who took Gwaine by the shoulder.
They all shared a look.
They were the Knights of the Round Table, the fiercest knights in all of Albion, the ones who helped the Once and Future King and Emrys defeat Morgause and Cenred in battle, the most fearless men in Camelot.
They stuck by the Knight's Code, courage in their hearts, ready to run towards a burning building or a group of bandits, sworn to protect and uphold their duty as a knight of Camelot.
So when Morgana looked at them, eyes flashing, and Gwen had yelled "Run," the Knights of the Round Table did not run and they stood their ground.
Or at least that's what they would tell others.
That day, they made a pact never to tell anyone that they, the most fearless men of Camelot, scrambled for the door, tripping over themselves, pushing their comrades aside, trying to save themselves before their supposed brothers-in-arms.
"IDIOTS!" Morgana screamed into a pillow as soon as the knights were gone.
"Lady Morgana, you need to calm down," Gwen said, handing the High Priestess a cup of water.
Morgana threw her a scathing look but her former maidservant was undeterred.
"What happened? What brought this on?"
"I had to deal with the council alone yesterday."
"Go on." Gwen prodded. Arthur had made it clear to the Kingdom that Morgana can act in his stead. It was completely normal for her to be the acting Queen Regent when Arthur is off hunting or on diplomatic missions.
"My idiotic brother was off sulking and didn't feel like attending, because Merlin had gone off to the forest to fetch some herbs without his permission. Our court sorcerer was sent to the dungeons on orders of the King."
Gwen gasped.
"Oh…dont worry Guinevere, Merlin has been in the dungeons plenty of times. And he could easily escape if he wanted to. Of course, he wouldn't want to escape knowing that it was Arthur who was standing guard."
Gwen's brows furrowed. "Wait…so."
"Yes, I spent the day with Geoffrey's mind-numbingly boring grain presentation, Gaius' disturbingly vivid plague reports, and Lord Cedric's two-faced lies. Alone. While my brother was off playing some fucked up dungeon fantasy with his court sorcerer."
"My lady!" Gwen shrieked, hands covering her mouth, shocked at the vulgar words that came out of the Pendragon sorceress.
"Oh come off it Gwen, we all know they spent all day eye fucking. That's all they do."
Gwen nodded, all too aware of how awkward it can be during dinnertime when Merlin and Arthur get into it. They wouldn't utter a single word but their eyes would stay transfixed on each other as though there was no one else in the world more important.
"So…do you have any ideas?"
Gwen looked at the hands crossed on her lap.
"Gwen…"
"Yes My Lady."
"Guinevere, you're the Head of the Castle Staff, by all means, stop it with the titles and out with it."
"You see," Gwen looked up to see Morgana staring at her intently. She fidgeted with the hem of her sleeves. "Getting Arthur jealous is easy but it will never push him towards confession if it's some anonymous person in the tavern or someone from the brothel."
"Go on." Morgana mimicked her.
"Arthur would get mad, but he knows Merlin would reject their advances. He needs to see someone who stands an actual chance at gaining Merlin's affections," Gwen continued.
"I'm with you so far," Morgana said, the wheels in her brain already turning.
"So…we need someone to court Merlin. But not just anyone. It has to be believable, someone with qualities that Arthur would not only make jealous, but actually insecure. Someone who can make him realise that if he doesn't act soon, he could actually lose Merlin. Forever."
Morgana found herself nodding as she stared at Gwen. "Gwen, you are a genius. Now all we need is to find the perfect guy to make Arthur jealous. Should we start sending for nobles from Nemeth and Mercia? There are nobles out there that have shown interest, maybe if we forge Merlin's seal, I'm sure they can come to…"
"There's no need," Gwen mumbled something.
"What?"
"Lancelot is the perfect guy." she said as though each word was painful.
"Lancelot?" Morgana seemed deep in thought.
Sir Lancelot du Lac was a vision of knightly splendor. His tall frame was like a statue of strength and grace, standing with an air of quiet confidence. His dark, raven-black hair flowed in untamed waves, framing a face that held a rugged handsomeness, the lines of experience etched upon it.
His eyes, a shade of brilliant sapphire, held a captivating depth, often seeming to hide a world of unspoken stories. Beneath strong brows, those eyes held a sense of unwavering determination, a reflection of the unwavering loyalty that defined him.
Lancelot's jawline was sharp, adding a touch of rugged charm to his noble countenance. His lips, though often set in a firm line of resolve, had the capacity to curve into a warm, reassuring smile that could melt hearts of peasants and nobles alike.
Draped in gleaming armour, he cut an imposing figure, every piece of metal accentuating the powerful contours of his physique.
Lancelot du Lac was the embodiment of knighthood's physical ideal, a living testament to the allure of the medieval hero, whose very presence turned heads and inspired tales of legendary bravery.
"Arthur once confided in me, while drunk, that he feels most challenged by Lancelot," Gwen supplied. "Especially when he found out that Lance knew Merlin was magic years before he did."
Morgana's eyebrows rose at the nickname, which Gwen ignored.
"And why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"BecauseLancelotandIkissedoncethenhetriedtocourtmebutheleftCamelotandwhenhecamebackwenevertalkedaboutitandnowitwouldbeweirdifIaskhimtocourtMerlinbecauseIreallywanthimtocourtme."
Morgana let her head fall back on the bed. With her right hand, she took a pillow, put it over her head, and screamed.
Gwen took that as her cue to leave, blushing harder than ever.
After 5 minutes of screaming, Morgana found herself alone in her chambers. It was time to start planning.