Amelia's POV

Amelia has read her notes and she can safely say that she became quite excited at reading what episode is next.

When Lady Catrina of the House of Tregor arrives, she knows that the episode is beginning. Her excitement doesn't stop her from staring at 'Lady Catrina', who is actually a Troll masquerading as said woman, as she enters the Council Chambers with Jonas, whatever he is, behind her.

"Lady Catrina, is it really you?" Uther questions, standing from his throne. Arthur stands on his right while Amelia and Morgana are sitting on his left with Anne and Gwen standing just behind them.

'Catrina' strides towards them. "I can hardly believe it myself." She bows.

"We had tidings from the north that the House of Tregor had fallen to invaders," Uther says.

"All that you heard was true, My Lord, and worse." Amelia frowns at the performance as it seems a bit over done.

"Your father, the King?" Uther asks.

"Gone, Sire. The enemy attacked without warning. We were outnumbered five to one. He could not endure. I would never have survived had it not been for my faithful servant Jonas. But we did survive, and we have made it this far..." 'Catrina' actually swoons and Uther catches her. "Forgive me, My Lord. I fear my trials have taken a toll."

"Your sufferings are beyond imagining, My Lady. It would be an honour to help you in any way we can." Uther seems quite taken with her.

"A bed for the night would be most welcome." 'Catrina' dramatically speaks as if still faint.

"And consider yourselves our esteemed guests. It's the least we can do." Uther tells her.

"Thank you."

—

Anne's POV

After everyone disbands from the Council Chambers, Anne rushes after Merlin and Gaius and catches up with them in the corridor. When Lady Catrina arrived, she had seen a look on Gaius' face, which caused her curiosity to spike. Gaius seems lost in thought while Merlin speaks.

"She's very brave."

"Yes," Gaius mutters. Anne watches Gaius closely.

"It's just terrible what she's been through."

"Terrible, indeed."

Merlin notices how distracted Gaius is. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Gaius quickly responds.

Merlin looks unsure but then Arthur calls out from behind them. "Merlin! Job for you."

"Work, work, work." And with that Merlin leaves following Arthur.

Gaius then turns and sees the doubtful look on Anne's face. "What?"

"Something is wrong isn't it." Anne states rather than asks

Gaius sighs. "Not sure yet. I have some suspicions I need to check. Probably nothing."

Anne lets out a snort. "It is never nothing."

—

Amelia's POV

Amelia has been demoted from her spot next to Morgana at dinner because of the special guest. On Uther's right, it is Arthur then Amelia while on his left is 'Lady Catrina' then Morgana.

"Well, this is wonderful. Thank you." The Troll says to them.

"It's an honour. The Houses of Tregor and Pendragon have been allies for as... well, as long as anyone can remember." Uther says.

"My father often spoke of you, My Lord." Did he?

"And I will remember him always."

"I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to meet him," Arthur speaks.

"I'm sorry too. For the House of Tregor is no more." The Troll 'sadly' pushes away her untouched plate.

"Well, no, Catrina, it lives on in you." No, it doesn't.

"I only wish that were true." No, you don't.

"It is, My Lady. Your courage, your modesty. And you are as you always were, ever since you were a child." Wow, Uther. Also, Amelia should really stop talking to herself in her head.

"Ah, I fear I am much changed since then, my Lord." However, talking in her head is the only way she is keeping her mouth shut.

"Oh, yes, it's true. You are far more beautiful now."

Uuuuhhhh….

Arthur looks completely appalled, while Morgana smiles and Amelia gapes at what is happening in front of her.

"Your father is flirting," Amelia whispers to Arthur through clenched teeth, she leans over slightly in an attempt to be subtle.

"I know," Arthur whispers back in equally clenched teeth.

Arthur then does a really subtle fake yawn. "I'm sorry, hard day's training. If you'll excuse me."

"Of course." The Troll murmurs.

Uther nods to him. "Arthur."

Arthur stands and Morgana pipes up. "We should retire ourselves. Come along Amelia." She then stands looking at Amelia expectantly.

"But food…" Morgana gives her a pointed look. Fine, leave the King with a Troll and let Amelia herself go to bed hungry.

Uther nods again. "Morgana. Amelia."

Amelia reluctantly follows Morgana and Arthur as they leave.

As soon as the door closes, Morgana turns to Amelia and Arthur. "Was that not the sweetest scene!"

Arthur groans as if in pain and Amelia pats him on the shoulder. "I think we had different dinners, Morgana. That was not sweet." She proclaims.

Morgana pouts.

"Though I suppose it is good to see that the old dog is still alive eh?" Amelia nudges the two of them smiling cheekily. Morgana laughs while Arthur looks at the both of them in disdain.

"I do not want to think of my father like that at all thank you. Goodnight." Arthur spits out before storming down the corridor.

"Well, he has got to get used to it. It seems Uther has found a lady friend." Morgana says cheerfully.

Amelia really hopes not.

—

Amelia, along with Anne who shared her own suspicions, convene in Gaius' Chambers. Gaius is making a potion when they arrive and Merlin starts telling them all about 'Lady Catrina'.

"There's something really different about the Lady Catrina." He says.

"Oh?" Anne asks almost hopefully.

"Most of Uther's guests just treat me like I'm dirt in their shoes, but she was really nice, even after all she's been through." Anne leans back onto the table behind her seat on the bench pouting. Amelia smiles, shaking her head as she pats Anne on the back.

"Yes. She always was very gracious." Gaius says.

"You've met her before?" Amelia asks.

"Oh, it was many years ago. I doubt that she would remember. Now, Merlin, I've got a job for you."

"Does it ever end?" Merlin mutters.

"Give this to the Lady Catrina with my compliments." Gaius hands the potion bottle to Merlin.

"What is it?"

"She'll know what it is." Amelia raises an eyebrow and shares a look with Anne.

"But what is it?" At Gaius' look, Merlin realises there's no point in asking and says, "Okay, okay." He leaves the room.

"Testing the waters?" Anne asks. Gaius gives her a look.

"What's this?" Amelia asks.

"Gaius has some suspicions about Lady Catrina." Well, that's good.

—

It is not long before Merlin comes charging back and slams the bottle on the table in front of Gaius.

"She didn't ask for it. She didn't need it. She didn't even want it." Merlin rants.

"Interesting," Amelia murmurs.

"If you say so." Merlin scoffs.

"When I treated her as a child, it was for an incurable disease. Catrina had a rare bone disorder affecting her joints. She often had difficulty walking, especially after a long ride. My tonic was the only thing that brought her relief." Gaius explains.

"And that's why you sent the potion," Anne says realising.

"But she walks as well as you or I," Merlin says.

"So I noticed," Gaius replies.

"So... the tonic was some kind of test?" Merlin says, now making the connection.

"So the question is. If not Lady Catrina, who is she?" Amelia concludes. Nothing wrong with nudging them in the right direction.

—

Anne's POV

The next day, before breakfast, Uther and 'Lady Catrina' go off on a ride and a picnic.

Watching them leave from a distance, Merlin and Anne take the opportunity to enter 'Catrina's' Guest Chambers to snoop around.

As soon as they enter, Anne is hit by this horrible smell and can tell that Merlin is also affected as he begins coughing. Merlin places the laundry basket he is carrying down and the two of them begin looking around with their hands near their mouths.

"Can I help you?" A voice suddenly asks. Anne spins round from the cupboard she is looking in and Merlin looks up from where he is crouched by the bed. Jonas stands in front of them.

"No. Er, I-I-I was- I was just changing the sheets." Merlin awkwardly pats the sheets.

"A-and I thought I would see if there needs to be any dusting." Anne quickly adds.

"Please, go ahead. Don't let me get in your way." Jonas says to them. Anne feels a bit uncomfortable with him.

Merlin looks quite shaken himself as he says, "All done. Thank you."

Merlin stands and walks to the door as Anne quickly follows.

"Merlin," Jonas calls out before they can leave. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Jonas turns around and Anne gapes in surprise as she catches a glimpse of a green forked tail. Jonas then holds out the laundry basket.

"Right." Merlin chokes out taking it from him. The two of them quickly leave the room and rush to report back to Gaius and Amelia in Gaius' Chambers.

—

Amelia's POV

Amelia hurries over to Anne and Merlin as soon as they enter with Gaius close behind.

"So? What did you find?" Amelia asks.

"Something wasn't right in there. There was this strange smell, and I could've sworn the Lady Catrina's bed hadn't been slept in." Merlin lists.

"And there was something else," Anne adds.

"Oh?" Gaius says.

"Jonas. As we were leaving, I thought- well we thought we saw something... this is gonna sound crazy, but it looked like Jonas had a tail." Anne explains.

"A tail? Really?" Amelia says with genuine surprise because her past self had not noted this down.

"Well, I mean, we only glimpsed it for a moment. I-I mean, we could be wrong..." Merlin backtracks.

"No, no, we believe you. But we must keep an eye on her. A very close eye." Gaius says.

—

That night Gaius goes to Uther to plant the seed of doubt about 'Lady Catrina's' miraculous recovery from an incurable disease. Though Uther appears angry, it apparently seems to have struck a chord with him.

The same night Merlin follows the Troll to tunnels under the Castle and sees its filthy nest below full of dung and it farting. Merlin rushes back to Gaius' Chambers and informs them of what he had seen.

"What you saw is seldom seen, Merlin. Trolls despise all other living things, especially humans. They prefer to lurk in the darkness of their nests, feasting on rotten filth." Gaius explains.

"And Jonas? Is he a Troll too?" Anne questions.

"Who can tell what manner of creature he is," Gaius says.

"It makes no sense. If Trolls like to lurk in their Caves so much, what's this one doing in Camelot?" Merlin wonders.

"Trolls are greedy. Lady Catrina's like the rest of her kind; she lusts after wealth and power." Gaius reasons.

"Uther's wealth and power," Amelia adds.

"We've reached the point of no return. Uther has to be told." Gaius decides, standing.

"You're going to tell Uther that his lady friend's a Troll?" Merlin questions as if doubting Gaius' sanity. Amelia sends an equally doubtful look and hears Anne snort.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do," Gaius says determinedly walking to the door.

"Good luck." Anne huffs.

"Thank you, Anne."

—

They convene the next day to hear of the results of Gaius' meeting with Uther.

Gaius enters and he doesn't look exactly happy. "Please don't say anything, any of you."

"We were not going to say anything." Amelia insists even though she knows that it is not true.

"You were going to say, "I told you so."" Gaius says, sitting down in front of the three of them who continue standing.

"OK. I might have. But I... I'm not going to now." Merlin insists.

"Uther didn't take to it well." Gaius reluctantly says.

"See Gaius?! We told you..." Amelia begins but then sees the other's faces. "Sorry."

"But I know him. He's a proud man, but he's not stupid. He will reflect on what I said, I'm sure he will." Gaius says as assuredly as he can when knowing Uther.

"Let's hope you're right," Anne says. Amelia chews her lip anxiously. She knows that Uther gets enchanted but she doesn't know when or how and this uncertainty makes her feel nervous to do anything in case it makes everything worse.

—

The next day Gaius reports back on Uther after speaking to him earlier as they sit in his Chambers. Telling him the truth about 'Catrina' has not worked.

"It's no good. I can tell him she's a Troll until I'm blue in the face, he simply won't listen. He sees a charming, beautiful woman." Gaius complains to them.

"Yeah, with a body like a tree trunk." Merlin snarks. Amelia lets out a snort at that and Anne nudges her as if telling her off but it isn't really working as she is smiling.

"But we only know that because you saw her in the Troll form." Gaius reminds Merlin, ignoring the other two.

"So, what do we do?" Amelia asks, recovering.

"We must open Uther's eyes, show her for what she really is." Gaius states.

"Using magic?" Anne asks in shock.

Gaius looks to Merlin indicating that Merlin is the one who should do this. "It's the only way to reveal her true form."

"But she never leaves his side." Anne points out worriedly.

"I know."

"You want me to use magic in front of the King?" Merlin says, shocked.

"Yes, Merlin, I do."

"H-he'd never get away with it," Anne says.

"I know. I'm sorry, Merlin. I know how dangerous this is, but we cannot allow it to gain any further control over the King. Who knows what the consequences might be?" Gaius reasons.

"Just one problem. I know nothing about Troll magic." Merlin says.

"Then clearly we have our work cut out for us then," Amelia remarks. She worries that Uther is already enchanted and he'll marry the Troll like her notes say. Her only reassurance is that her notes say everything turns out alright in the end.

—

Amelia feels like them being slumped over piles and piles of books in Gaius' Chambers should stop happening but here they are again except this time Gaius is asleep on some books.

Suddenly Merlin slams a hand onto the books startling all of them and waking Gaius. "Here. The spell of revelation." Merlin stands and walks around the table he sits at to Gaius. Amelia and Anne walk over to them. "By which the true nature of the thing may be revealed."

Gaius reads the page. "But this applies only to objects, things, not to living creatures."

"I know. The principle's the same, isn't it?" Merlin questions.

"Well, he should try it. What other choice do we have?" Amelia says. Hopefully, this will bring them one step closer to stopping the Troll.

"Very well. But Merlin, choose your moment carefully. Trolls are vicious creatures." Gaius warns.

A knock then sounds at the door.

"Come in."

A Guard, Patrick she thinks, steps in. "The King requests your presence in the Council Chambers."

Naturally, they all share looks of confusion and worry.

—

Reaching the Council Chambers, Amelia and Anne make their way over to where Morgana and Gwen are standing. Courtiers loiter around the room.

"Do you know what Uther wants?" Amelia asks the two women.

Gwen shakes her head and Morgana says, "I have no idea. Seems no one does. Very mysterious."

The doors open and everyone moves to the sides of the room, making a path for Uther, who enters with the Troll on his arm. Oh no.

Uther stops in front of his throne and turns to the room. "Thank you all for coming. You are, no doubt, wondering why I have gathered you here today. Though we live in dark times, today I bring you light, and love. It gives me greatest pleasure to inform you that the Houses of Tregor and Pendragon are to be united in the closest bond of all. I am to marry Lady Catrina of Tregor."

Amelia can see everyone looking shocked at this and slowly begin to clap though Amelia notices that Arthur does not move. The Troll then leans over and whispers in his ear. "I am to marry Lady Catrina tomorrow."

The surprised clapping begins again while Amelia glances over to see the worried faces of Merlin and Gaius, she doesn't need to look at Anne to see hers. Merlin then moves to a corner of the room to begin the spell.

Uther continues speaking, "This union heralds a new dawn for the Kingdom, a new beginning..."

Suddenly the Troll's smile drops. Amelia sees Merlin try again and if she looks close enough, Amelia can see the skin move slightly. But the Troll is strong and despite more attempts by Merlin, nothing changes despite the skin moving even more.

Amelia must have lost track of the conversation as there is suddenly applause coming from the people around her. She begins her delayed clapping when Morgana nudges her in the side.

"Thank you." Uther finishes. The Troll looks around as if searching for the perpetrator before pulling Uther out of the room in a slight hurry.

"Well, did not see that happening so quickly," Morgana says.

"No…" Amelia quietly replies.

—

The four of them, as they walk into Gaius' Chambers, feel somewhat defeated.

"I'm sorry. I tried. I gave it everything I had." Merlin says.

"It's not your fault, Merlin. You did your best." Gaius reassures.

"The spell of revelation is powerful magic. And it was not like it did not do anything, you all must have seen her face. It went all weird." Amelia points out.

"Her magic must be strong, indeed, to be able to resist you, Merlin," Gaius says. Suddenly Merlin turns and hurries out of the room. "Where are you going?"

"To see Arthur! He's our only hope!"

"Merlin!" Gaius calls at the same time Anne asks after him, "Is that wise?!"

Amelia huffs. "No, it is not. This is Arthur we are talking about."

—

Amelia does not hear from Merlin for the rest of the day as Morgana drags her into sorting out what their outfits should be for tomorrow. Honestly she couldn't care less considering that Uther is in truth getting married to a Troll. Hopefully Merlin is up to something that'll stop it.

But before she knows it, it is the big day and Anne is helping her get ready. Amelia can tell she isn't happy about this.

"Just say what you're thinking Anne," Amelia tells her, feeling slightly irritated by Anne being so distracted, not that she can blame her.

"Ugh… it's just um," Anne huffs as if trying to work out what she wants to say, "I just feel like we have failed, like we have not done enough."

"No, do not think like that!" Amelia says. "We can still stop her even after they are married. It is not over yet."

"Okay," Anne mutters. "Well, you are ready now."

"Thank you." Amelia smiles at her.

—

Morgana and Amelia walk into the Throne room together, their arms linked, with Gwen and Anne following behind. Amelia's dress is a deep red with a golden circlet on her head and the front parts of her brown hair tied behind her head. They take their spot at the front of the crowd on one side. Amelia spots Gaius on his own and wonders where Merlin has got to, she wishes she could remember.

The horns blast and Arthur and Uther enter in their full get up of cloaks and crowns. They take their positions at the front. Amelia knows that Uther must be enchanted by now but she can't remember how, so how is she supposed to help when she doesn't even know?

It is not long until the Troll enters as the horns blast again. Once they are both at the front and Arthur is next to her and Morgana, Geoffrey of Monmouth presides over the wedding ceremony.

"My lords, ladies, and gentlemen of Camelot, we are gathered here today to celebrate, by the ancient right of handfasting, the union of Uther Pendragon and Lady Catrina of Tregor. Is it your wish, Uther, to become one with this woman?"

"It is."

"Is it your wish, Catrina, to become one with this man?"

"It is." Despite it being a Troll, it is quite the good actor.

"Do any say nay?" Amelia looks back hoping that Merlin will burst in with a way to stop this. She sees Gaius do the same but no one comes, so after a moment of silence, the ceremony continues.

Geoffrey wraps a Garland around the 'happy couple's' hands as he speaks, "With this garland, I do tie a knot, and by doing so, bind your hands and your hearts for all eternity."

"I, Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot, shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee as I respect myself."

The Troll speaks its own vow and it isn't long before Geoffrey announces, "I now pronounce you to be husband and wife."

It is at that moment that Merlin bursts in just as Uther and Catrina kiss. The Court applauds though Morgana has to nudge Amelia to do so as she is too busy sharing worried looks with Gaius, Merlin and Anne. The Troll looks out towards the Court smiling but scowls when she sees Merlin.

Game on.