A/N: I've mentioned the playlist 'You marry the villain to save your kingdom' before, and although I still want to write a part 2 of the Lune/Yuki one I already did, I started thinking about a less good vs. evil, more crossover-y way to do it. Enjoy!
Long Live the King
Haru couldn't help thinking that the dark stormy night suited her mood perfectly. She wished that the thunder and pouring rain would last for a week at least, but it would only delay the inevitable.
She shook her head at herself as she held a piece of fabric out of her tower window in such a way that it would funnel the rainwater into a clay pitcher she had balanced on her windowsill. Her arms were cold and couldn't feel much by the time it was nearly full, but it was a minor inconvenience compared to… her life.
Her entire life, with the crown jewel of what was due to happen tomorrow. Haru couldn't resist drying her eyes while doing the same to her freezing hands. Although she did her best to be in control of her emotions when in the presence of others, her breath was coming unsteady with dread at what had to happen tomorrow.
A tournament, not just for her hand in marriage, but the throne of all England. She sighed sadly while pouring herself a cup of rainwater before sitting in front of the fireplace and wrapping herself in blankets.
It hardly felt like that. More like a tournament for the throne of England but marrying herself was the final hurdle the champion would have to face.
Haru couldn't resist a side glare at her gown resting over the door of her wardrobe; the finest one that she had ever worn. She had been forced to sew parts of it herself, which had been no great chore, but the mental weight of what was to come felt heavier even than her winter cloak.
In less than twenty-four hours, she would be the queen of England. The purpose that she had been told her entire life was the sole reason for her existence. She had no reason to disbelieve that; one of her first memories had been of King Uther himself telling her so.
She fought back a shudder while thinking of his poor queen, who looked so miserable as she sat next to him with a swollen belly. If the stories about her first husband's death were to be believed, it was no wonder she didn't want even a king for a second husband.
If that child had lived, it would have been her husband. The tournament would not be a necessity to keep the country from drowning in its own blood.
Haru sipped at her drink, wondering yet again what that boy would have been like. Would it have been too much to hope for, if that son had been kind like his mother? She didn't relish the idea of being married to someone four years younger than herself, but there would have been a good chance of growing up together, and at least having a friend.
A friend. She closed her large brown eyes and sighed in longing. She'd trade her soul for such a treasure.
Her thoughts were shattered when the door to her tower opened disobediently. She turned her head around the high back of her chair to glare at the intruder.
The guard at her door was letting in her maid, who was holding a tray of tea things. But as soon as the brunette poked her head around the chair, Bridget stopped in her tracks, giving her a look of shock.
"Forgotten something, have we?" Haru asked in a chill, clipped tone.
"I... think I grabbed everything," she finally stammered, still staring at her mistress as if she hadn't been serving her for the past five years.
Haru exhaled through her nostrils in exasperation. "That's the problem, Bridget. I told you to not to bring me anything. In fact, I remember telling you I won't require your services until tomorrow morning."
The look of chagrin was satisfying, though a little puzzling. This was far from the first time Bridget had disobeyed her.
"I-I well, that is… I thought a nice cup of tea might help with your nerves," she tried again, bringing the tray forward.
"Stop, Bridget," Haru ordered sternly, making the woman stop in her tracks. "You already used up your chance to drug me last year. I don't care if the duke thinks the contestants tomorrow will find me more appealing if I'm staring at things that aren't there again."
The tall maid stared at her in horror.
Haru maintained eye contact while taking another sip from her cup and keeping her other hand over the top of the pitcher. "Disappointing, isn't it? It's going to take someone more talented than you to drug rainwater, and that's all I'm having before the tournament since you apparently didn't hear me the first time I told you. Now get out and go gossip again with the other servants about how much of a bother I am. Unless you want me to take that tea and pour it down your throat."
Bridget gaped at her like it was the first time her mistress had called her out on such behavior.
"Please," Haru begged tiredly while turning back to the fire. "Just let me enjoy the little time I have left before whoever proves to be the most power-hungry brute tomorrow turns me into the royal babymaker."
The door burst open again, but Haru barely had enough time to turn around the chair to see the current guard at her door, Kelvin, reach under his cloak for a strange stick while tossing his sword to the side.
"Then I'm very sorry about this, Lady Harriet, but incarcerous!"
Before Haru could even think of asking what he meant to say, she saw ropes appear from the end of that stick with her own eyes, racing through the air and tying her up tightly inside her blankets. The cup in her hand fell out of her grasp as her arm was now held tight against her chest. She cried out in surprise, but Kelvin was already slamming the door shut behind him and pointing his stick at it instead.
"Colloportus!" he commanded, making the wood groan slightly but not really changing the door more than that.
"What are you doing?!" Haru demanded as a sudden fear filled her heart. 'That… Kelvin couldn't have done that!'
"I suppose we'd better get on with it, then," Bridget sighed, setting the tea tray on the ground before pulling a stick of her own out of her apron pocket.
But she was closer to Haru than Kelvin. Which meant she could see for herself that the stick was straight and polished.
… Wands!
"Oh no," she choked as she realized that the two people in her room weren't the people they appeared to be. "He-" she tried to scream, but the fake Bridget was already stuffing her mouth with a handkerchief.
"Someone's coming up the stairs, so let's hurry," the wizard pretending to be Kelvin nearly ordered, taking Haru's gown for tomorrow off the door to her wardrobe so he could toss it in, close the wardrobe, and whisper something that made it disappear.
Or so Haru thought until he reached down and pocketed a walnut that hadn't been there before.
The witch pretending to be Bridget was already snooping through the chest at the foot of Haru's bed before closing it and whispering something to also turn it into a walnut. "Please don't be alarmed, Lady Harriet. This is for your own good, and I don't think you'll be too upset with us when there's time to explain."
Even as she gave that brief bit of information, the Kelvin impersonator marched up to her chair and eased her into his arms. Haru did her best to wiggle like a fish to escape, but his grip was too tight.
"Stop that, you'll just hurt yourself," he ordered while giving a head motion to the fake Bridget.
She nodded and took a small drawstring pouch from her apron before opening it up.
The door behind them jostled slightly but did not open.
"Harriet?! What have I said about locking this door?!" the duke demanded as he struggled with it. "And where is the guard I ordered?! Harriet?!"
Although Haru was half-expecting the pair of them to conjure brooms and fly out of the tower, the witch pretending to be Bridget only threw the pinch of dust into the flames of her fireplace, which turned emerald green.
"You first," fake Bridget commanded, harshly shoving her companion into the large fireplace with their captive.
"Headmaster Merlin's Office!" he stated loudly and clearly as he let Haru's legs go so that she more or less dangled in front of him.
She briefly considered kicking out before the world seemed to whirl around them in an impossible dance. Ashes were thrown into her eyes, making her hold them tight as tears tried to flush them out even as ashes intruded down her nostrils.
Thankfully the experience was soon over, and she could feel the Kelvin impersonator take a big step onto something solid.
"Oh dear. Trouble?" an elderly voice asked.
"Unfortunately for us, the Lady Harriet's used to people slipping things into her food and drink, so she wouldn't take the Sleeping Draught," Not-Kelvin quickly explained while setting her into a chair that didn't feel all that different from the one she had been taken from.
There was an explosion from behind them, which resulted in Not-Bridget sighing with relief as Haru tried to blink her eyes to see where she was. "We have her things, as requested. I hope you didn't have anything else you wanted to keep, Lady Harriet, because we won't be able to retrieve it now."
Haru tried to tell her off again, but the handkerchief was still stuffed in her mouth.
"Here, let's fix this," the elderly voice crooned as he removed the gag and used a different handkerchief dampened with water to clean her face. "I really am sorry about this, Lady Harriet, but I'm hoping that you will thank me in time."
"Haru," she croaked in response as her vision began to clear.
The man speaking was exactly how she had envisioned a wizard to look, though a bit scrawnier than expected. Long blue robes, a slightly floppy pointed hat of the same hue, and a long white beard that nearly reached his feet.
He stopped dabbing at her face. "I beg your pardon, my lady?"
"Haru. If you insist on kidnapping me, the least you can do is call me by my preferred name. 'Harriet' sets my teeth on edge, and it took me a while to figure out a pet name that I liked since I'm not a boy."
"Oh?" Not-Bridget asked in surprise. "Then why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"Because the real Bridget takes her orders from the duke, not me." She again struggled to break free of her bonds, but the ropes were still holding tight.
"Pelia, Renaldo, go arrange her things in the room we've set up for her," the old man requested with a warm smile. "I think she may appreciate a little space from you for such an abrupt exchange, or at least until the Polyjuice wears off."
"Fine by me," Renaldo grunted while heading out, but Pelia snuck in a tiny hug while Haru was still tied up.
"I really think you'll like what the headmaster wants to talk about," she promised before pecking the girl on the cheek and running out after her companion.
Haru stared at her retreating back until the door closed. "That would have blown her cover in my room," she stated a little numbly before studying the place she had been forcibly brought to.
It was without a doubt the most cluttered, interesting room she had ever seen in her life. Books were littered everywhere, as well as interestingly-shaped glass bottles filled with colored liquids and countless things she couldn't so much as put a name to. There was a high window, but the lack of any storm spoke louder than words that she was a good distance from the castle she had been cooped up in before the tournament tomorrow.
The chair she had been set in was up against a table that had tea things, but she could see the kettle itself was still on the fireplace.
"Please forgive me for not having things ready," the old man in blue apologized as he wiggled a long wand at her, making the ropes dissolve into smoke. "I was planning on the Sleeping Draught taking its course before we have tea."
Haru hurriedly worked her arms and legs loose from the blankets, enjoying the freedom of movement. "I think you'll forgive me for not taking anything from a complete stranger. Considering the circumstances."
He blinked, but then almost seemed to laugh at himself. "Ah of course, introductions. My name is Merlin, and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Since you are uninterested in taking tea, Lady Haru, would you prefer if we get straight to business?"
"Yes, please," Haru stated flatly, though she was surprised when a ginger cat suddenly hopped onto her lap. "And who are you?" she asked a little more happily, since the duke had never let her be this close to a cat thanks to his allergies that he insisted she inherited from him.
"Baron, let's not overwhelm the girl," Merlin scolded the cat, but sat down at the opposite end of the small table. "I see no reason not to just ask, Lady Haru; do you want to be the queen?"
"I'd rather take poison," Haru growled under her breath as she let herself scratch and play with Baron's fur, making him purr up a storm. "The only reason I was forcing myself to go through with the tournament and marriage to a complete stranger that's probably going to be a brute is because it was the most peaceful solution anyone could think up. Ever since King Uther died without a living heir, I've received proposals from about every nobleman in England as his closest living relative and legitimate claim to the throne, and the duke received a lot of threats over what would happen if they were rejected. I don't want a war over me, and I don't want my country to drown in its own blood. This wasn't the first time someone's tried to kidnap me, but it's the first time I've gotten off of the duke's estate before his men found me and the kidnappers."
Merlin held onto his chin with thought as he looked at her. "I suppose you have a good reason to use his title instead of calling him 'father'?"
Haru's good mood from playing with the cat vanished. Her tone turned cold and bitter. "He's too enchanted with his second wife and their children to remember me outside the throne. Grandfather forced him into making sure I existed, and he's never forgiven me for that."
His eyes darkened in understanding. "Then it appears Pelia was on the mark about what I want from you." He took in a deep breath and leaned back in his high back chair. "To put it bluntly, Lady Haru, King Uther has a living heir."
Her heart immediately lifted up. "He does?!" she asked excitedly.
"Oh yes. You see, I owed a life debt to Uther, but… I still hate myself for how he demanded settlement of that payment. I assume you know at least the basics of how he married Queen Igraine?" he asked through a pained smile.
Haru flinched but looked him over. "I guess having a wizard mixed up in that makes more sense than not. I've wondered how she couldn't tell the difference between the two men, no matter the disguise."
"Well, you've seen for yourself that taking on someone else's form is quite easy in our society," Merlin noted glumly as he gestured at the door Renaldo and Pelia had disappeared through. "But that incident also assured me that he would not be able to teach his resulting child in how to be a good king instead of taking what he wants no matter what. So I was able to talk him into letting me take Arthur in as my ward and pupil, using the excuse of attempted assassinations on him and his mother."
Haru bit her lip worriedly as the cat on her lap rolled onto its back to present its creamy belly for her to rub. "That means one of you is probably responsible for the sword in the stone prophecy. But Arthur would only be eleven or so right now. The court is very corrupt, and there's likely to be a war when word gets out that I've been abducted."
"I would have preferred more time myself for him to grow up," Merlin admitted unhappily. "But then Uther died and the people refused to wait even after we, in fact, put up the sword in the stone to buy Arthur more time. Then we heard strong rumors about if you got married before our boy's triumphant return. We were hopeful that you were only being a pawn that wouldn't mind personally stepping aside for Arthur's claim."
"He can have the throne," Haru assured him thankfully. Then she froze. "The way you asked if I wanted to be the queen. Does that mean he isn't interested in honoring King Uther's wish for us?"
He took in a deep breath. "I hope you don't mind, but he is still a boy. He'd rather worry about marriage when he's older, but not with a second cousin four years older than himself."
"Long live the king!" she exclaimed happily, relaxing until she felt she could almost pour herself out of the chair.
Her wildest, happiest dream was coming true!
Baron meowed indignantly since her raised hands in exultation meant that they weren't working their own magic on his body. Haru almost sheepishly went back to scratching and petting him until he was purring again.
"But now that you brought the subject up, there is a little thing that we require from you," Merlin continued a bit nervously, as if he expected her to erupt into flames despite her happiness. For some reason, his bespectacled eyes kept darting to the cat lounging over her lap like he owned it.
Haru sighed, since there were only so many ways that hesitancy could be interpreted. "Banishment, shadows or marriage?"
Merlin blinked. "Marriage. We haven't picked someone for you yet, but I have my best matchmaker already on the case. I hope you won't take offense if he uses his own method to examine your personality?"
Haru shrugged while picking up Baron and holding him against her shoulder so she could rub his back like a baby, still purring and nuzzling her. "I've always known that my personal preference wasn't going to mean anything when the time came. If I can even be friends with whomever is chosen, that will be more than I was going to get from the duke."
Merlin seemed very troubled at her easy acceptance. "… You have my personal promise that this matchmaker is highly competent. I already made sure he understood that this whole business will go a lot smoother if you have someone satisfactory. I assume you know it will be a wizard?"
Haru shrugged while rubbing her cheek against orange fur contentedly. "That would eliminate me from the throne, even if the duke or someone else found me again." She bit her lip before continuing. "The crown's been the center of my life whether I liked it or not. I don't know how well I will cope with this upheaval, but I'm willing to give it a chance."
He relaxed. "That's the spirit. Now, why don't I escort you to your chambers? The hour is growing late, and even my students are in bed at this hour."
"All right," she agreed, secretly glad that she hadn't been in a nightgown when the abduction occurred.
Though, maybe 'rescue' would be more appropriate. She did intend to fold the blankets after standing up from them, but a wave of Merlin's wand and some undecipherable words made them fold themselves and start floating behind the wizard as he led the girl out of his office and down a stairwell that was guarded by a strange gargoyle.
"The school is a bit dangerous to wander around by yourself, so I'll make sure that you have an escort during the daylight hours," he explained, moving a bit faster than Haru would have given him credit for considering his obvious age.
Since she was reasonably certain that she wasn't going to get yelled at again, Haru almost jogged to keep up with him, still keeping Baron pressed to her shoulder so that she could soak in his wonderful purr. "When am I going to meet Arthur?"
He flinched but slowed down to brush at his long beard while thinking. "I… it isn't that I don't think you would like each other. I imagine that you and your cousin would get along rather well. But I have seer powers, and although I didn't get a good look of the face, I know that if Arthur's reign comes to a premature end, it will be thanks to a woman of his own house."
Haru felt a chill as she ransacked her memory. "I don't know what happened to Queen Igraine's daughters after she married King Uther. But I swear I mean Arthur no harm."
"I have not lost track of his half-sisters, and believe me, I might have my hands full with one of them." He gripped her one hand that wasn't supporting Baron. "For the sake of an old man that will have enough to worry about, please accept that you'll likely never meet Arthur."
Haru sighed miserably, thinking about how nice having a worthwhile relative would have been. "Then you will at least tell him I'm grateful for his existence and wish him luck?"
"I will happily tell him that," Merlin agreed with relief before they continued their walk at a more leisurely pace. "If it makes any difference, he was also upset about not getting to find out if you could be friends with him. Arthur spoke firmly with my matchmaker about finding someone that would both take care of you and keep you out of politics."
"That's all I want, I swear. Except," she suddenly added as she remembered something he said earlier. "You said this place is a school of witchcraft and wizardry?"
"Yes, indeed," he affirmed, keeping a careful side eye on her as they passed talking paintings and one staircase that was moving itself to a different floor.
"If you have this entire school for magic," she expanded as her heart began to pound, although even Baron was looking up at her curiously. ", then there's a library with books, right?"
"Oh, of course you will be allowed into the library," he assured her with a wide smile. "I'm afraid the spell books would be useless to you, but there's plenty of history and other things for you to study if you so desire. In fact, I think that would help you adjust to life as a wizard's wife if you have even a basic understanding of our culture."
This was a good response, but not exactly the one she was hoping for. "W-what I'm trying to ask," Haru tried again. "… Is there someone that will be willing to teach me how to read?"
Merlin stopped dead in his tracks to give her a horrified look, even as Baron yowled like he couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, yes, yes, of course!" he exclaimed while angrily slapping a hand to his forehead. "I forgot that was a Muggle custom! Yes, Lady Haru; I'll make sure your escort is willing to tutor you. In fact, I insist on this; no good will ever come from ignorance!"
Haru beamed happily at his indignation before rubbing her face against Baron's fur as he seemed determined to lick her entire face. "Thank you. For everything. What's a Muggle?"
"You are. A Non-Magical being," he explained while wrapping one hand around her back to encourage her to keep walking. "Though I must say if all Muggles were as pleasant and reasonable as you, we wouldn't have to hide just to avoid getting burned at the stake. Not that it actually hurts us thanks to a standard charm, but it can be inconvenient when we just want to get on with our lives."
Haru nodded but couldn't think of anything to really say to that. So she kept walking and listening to him rant about one of the witches that actually enjoyed getting burned enough to let herself be caught more than once.
Even an hour ago, she wouldn't have believed such good fortune would come to her. Not only would she not be getting saddled with someone that was likely to make her miserable, the duke and his 'perfect little family' wouldn't be able to take advantage of their position with her like they had been dreaming about for years. It gave her more satisfaction than it should have when she also thought of how Merlin was likely to mention to Arthur that they were not worthy to be in his court, and as such would not be likely to rise to power. She herself was their only claim to it, but she'd likely never see them again.
That alone would be worth handing her future over to the wizards.
"Ah, here we are," Merlin finally said with satisfaction while opening a door. "I hope you find this hospitable, Lady Haru."
"It's all right if you just call me Haru," she decided since he was doing so much for her. The young woman walked into her new chambers, almost driven to tears that it already felt more inviting and warm than any of the various rooms she'd had over the years, trying to stay out of kidnappers' grasps. It even helped to see her own wardrobe and trunk, indeed carrying the only things she might have missed if Renaldo and Pelia had only taken her. There were no windows since it was an inner room of the castle, but that suited her nerves just fine as the blankets following her settled down at the foot of her new bed.
"Very well, Haru. But I'm afraid I'll need Baron back now," he said firmly with a stiff smile.
She couldn't resist moaning in disappointment, especially since his claws seemed to latch onto her clothes in a stubborn refusal to let go as he nuzzled her neck a little harder. But they were eventually able to pry him off her without tearing anything, and she did manage to kiss the cat's forehead as a farewell.
"Thanks for letting me hold you, Baron. Good night, Merlin," she bade the older man with a warmer smile before closing the door. But then she quickly opened it again. "One more thing? Tell Arthur that his mother never stopped thinking about him. Queen Igraine once told me he was the only thing she didn't completely regret about meeting King Uther, and she wished she could have been better for him and his sisters."
Merlin smiled while holding Baron by the chest to his own, already looking like he wanted to jump right back into her arms. "I will tell him. Thank you for understanding, and I promise you will have no reason to regret this."
Haru smiled at him again but shut the door so they wouldn't keep talking. She noted with delight that the latch locked itself; ensuring that for the first time in years, she was finally going to sleep well and safe.
ooOoo
Merlin carried the tabby cat one hallway away from the girl's room before holding it up to his face by the neck. "What was all that?!" he demanded crossly. "Do you need to take your medicine again, you dolt?"
Right there in his hands, the cat seemed to stretch to the floor, even as he shifted into a young wizard in light grey robes. "No, this is different," Baron said a bit dreamily as he reached up and unfastened Merlin's grip on the back of his robes. "Entirely different."
"Take your medicine anyway," Merlin snapped. "You haven't acted that foolishly since Mathilde managed to successfully slip you a love potion in your sixth year."
Baron flinched at the memory. "I still say that love potions should be banned and forgotten," he grumbled before taking a glass vial out of his left pocket. "Nothing but sorrow could ever come from something as hollow as false love." He downed a mouthful of the contents before pocketing the vial. Then he waited a full minute before his face burst into another grin. "No effect this time."
Merlin blinked. "Really?" He looked in the general direction of Haru's room. "Well, I must say you have good taste."
"And would you also agree that I fulfill all the requirements both you and Arthur have wished for her?" Baron asked directly while folding his arms. His smile was just a tad smug since they both knew the answer.
Merlin rubbed his chin in thought. "I must admit it would make things easier, and even the Wizard Council would breathe easier if it was you. It's not exactly a secret that you have no love for power."
"Then it's settled," Baron exclaimed happily and just a shade quickly while bowing to the Headmaster. "You head to London with Arthur tomorrow for his appointment with the sword, and you will leave Haru in my care. Despite her acceptance of her new situation, I'm sure her nerves are at least a little rattled and that she'll be embarrassed to find she was rubbing a wizard's belly. I'm more than willing to be her escort, tutor, friend, and whatever else she needs until she feels ready for marriage."
Merlin nodded slowly. "I was worried about her being only sixteen. Very well, Baron. We'd best do things properly and inform Arthur. I imagine he'll be pleased, if surprised that you decided to settle down after all."
Baron also looked over his shoulder in the direction of Haru's room, his heart beating in his green eyes. "She understands duty without turning it into pride, she shares my frustration when others doctor our food and drink for personal gain, her fingers are their own brand of magic, and she even shares my grief over a given name that doesn't suit her. Yet all she wants is a friend. You heard her; she doesn't even have hopes for love."
"I imagine you plan to cure her of that?" Merlin asked with a grin that already knew the answer as they just managed to step onto a staircase before it began switching locations.
"Vigorously. Now then," Baron added before his face turned dark. "Please explain why Muggles have a custom against women reading."
"If it's any consolation, they'll get over it eventually," Merlin assured him with an impish smile. "Some of them, anyway."
xxXxx
A/N: Just in case any Potter nerds want to get on my case about when love potions were invented in that universe, I first want them to explain how Merlin definitely exists there, but Tristan and Iseult didn't. My head canon is that they were discontinued for almost a thousand years before getting reinvented, though the world would have been better off without it.