Dreams for Plans part 4
‘So did you give Arthur a remedy?’ Morgana asked in the most indifferent voice she could muster as Gwen sorted through her wardrobe.
‘Yes My Lady, I made him a simple infusion of valerian, hops and wild lettuce, it is fairly mild, but hopefully it will do the trick, at least until Gaius returns.’
‘You are very attentive towards him’
‘Gaius?’ Gwen laughed.
‘No, Arthur’
‘He is the Crown Prince of Camelot, everyone is attentive to him’
‘But you seem to take very good care of him’
‘Because Uther would have my guts for garters if I did not’ she said, forcing a little laugh as she made Morgana’s bed.
‘So you wouldn’t consider him a friend?’
‘I am sure he is a good man and he will be a great King one day’
‘Oh’ Morgana said, trying to hide her disappointment.
‘Are you alright My Lady?’ Gwen asked, concerned, looking up.
‘I just can’t decide which dress to wear’ Morgana lied weakly, Gwen noticed but shrugged it off. She often felt that her mistress was not being entirely honest with her these days. Though who was she to judge? she thought as her mind ran through all the things she had neglected to tell Morgana. Not without due cause though, she reasoned, but it did not make the acceptance of the wall between them any easier.
‘So is the sleeping draught Gwen made for you working?’
‘Er, Morgana she gave it to Merlin to pass onto me this morning so I haven’t had a chance to take it yet’
‘Oh right, of course’ she said quickly, as she attempted to match Arthur’s stride down the corridor, ‘but it was very good of her to do it so quickly’
‘Yes, but it is a very simple draught’
‘I will have you know she put in a lot of effort to making that remedy for you’ Morgana snapped.
‘Oh really? Because Merlin told me it took her quarter of an hour’ he said, his eyebrows raised.
‘Well...’ Morgana blustered, ‘I still think you could sound more grateful’
‘She was just doing her job’
‘Her job is to be my handmaiden, not to nurse you’
‘Really?’ he said feigning a look of surprise, ‘I didn’t realise that she was your maid, I thought your maid was blonde’
‘I can’t believe you don’t remember who my maid is!’ she exclaimed before she noticed that Arthur was chuckling.
‘Bye Morgana’ he said with a jaunty wave as he disappeared off down the hallway.
‘Merlin, you haven’t seen Gwen around have you?’ Arthur asked as offhandedly as he could manage, biting into an apple.
‘She’s been around I guess’ Merlin shrugged.
‘So she hasn’t been ill or anything?’
‘I thought you said there was nothing to tell’ Merlin asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
‘There isn’t’ he said too quickly, ‘I was just wondering...’ he grumbled, ‘I haven’t seen her in the last week and I’ve been meaning to thank her for the sleeping draught’
‘I can tell her’ Merlin said as he rubbed beeswax into the table with a rag.
‘But-’ Arthur began.
‘But you wanted to do it in person?’ Merlin suggested with a smirk, looking up from his work.
Arthur nodded reluctantly.
‘Well have you tried looking for her?’
‘Yes, but she never seems to be around’ he said, before adding- in a voice which feigned disinterest- ‘she’s not avoiding me is she?’
‘What have you done?’
‘Nothing’ he said quickly before falling into a preoccupied silence. ‘At least I don’t think I’ve done anything’ he murmured half to himself, looking rather lost.
‘This is ridiculous’ Morgana said flopping down onto the bench beside Merlin, ‘my plan fell totally flat, they might know each other but they can’t see beyond their stations and how can anything possibly happen between them while that remains the case?’ she vented.
Merlin smothered a smile.
‘And if that wasn’t bad enough we have the spring equinox feast in two days which means Gwen has been rushed off her feet, and will be tied up preparations until it’s over. And on top of that I will have to spend the majority of the evening dancing with obnoxious noblemen most of whom can not dance to save their lives’
‘Will Arthur be dancing?’
‘Unfortunately yes’ she giggled.
‘He’s that bad?’
‘He doesn’t get much practice’
Merlin’s face lit up, he had an idea.
‘Gwen I need your help’ Merlin said bounding up to her in the corridor.
‘Of course’ she smiled over the basket of sheets, ‘let me just take these to the laundry and then I’m all yours’ she said quickly, before noticing Arthur who had just rounded the corner and was coming over to join them.
‘Sire’ she said inclining her head.
‘So are you going to give us a hand?’ he asked smiling.
‘Us?’ she said, looking nervously between the two men before her.
‘Yeah’ Merlin nodded before heading down the corridor towards the laundry.
‘I’ll carry that’ Arthur offered, gesturing at the basket.
‘Oh’ she said biting the corner of her lip, ‘that is very kind sire, but totally unnecessary’
‘Indulge me Guinevere’ he grinned.
‘It would not be appropriate, the Crown Prince can not be seen to be doing servants’ work, it would create suspicion, people might think...’ she trailed off embarrassed.
‘And pray tell me, what exactly might people think Guinevere?’ he asked innocently, the ghost of a smile on his face.
‘That you’re not as much of a prat as everyone thought?’ Merlin suggested brightly, noticing how Gwen determinedly avoided Arthur’s gaze.
‘So what do you need me to do?’ she said as they left the laundry.
‘We need to move around the furniture in the Council Chamber’
‘Oh okay, but the feast isn’t for another two days’
‘But Arthur needs to work on his dancing with Morgana, ‘cause he is dreadful’
Arthur looked rather embarrassedly at his feet, ‘it’s only because I never get the chance to practice’ he muttered. ‘Besides I bet I’m loads better than you’ he snapped at his manservant.
‘You wanna bet?’
‘I just said so didn’t I?’
‘Well, I bet you one silver penny’
‘I bet you ten’
Merlin mouthed soundlessly like a fish out of water. ‘But that’s a week wages’ he finally managed to splutter.
‘Then you’d better not lose’ Arthur grinned.
Gwen shook her head, half exasperated, half amused, ‘come on’ she said, pushing them in the smalls of their backs, propelling them towards the Council Room.
They arrived to find a rather anxious looking Morgana standing in the middle of the room.
‘Oh good, Gwen you came’
‘Anything to help’ she smiled, trying not to look at Arthur.
Together the four of them and the spotty flautist, who was their primitive solution to a lack of music, pushed the furniture up against the walls.
Gwen wiped her hands on her apron, ‘I should be getting back’
‘But we need you here’ Morgana protested, ‘we need to practice group dances too and that doesn’t really work unless we have another couple’
‘What, me and Merlin?’ she asked surprised.
‘Why not?’
‘Because it has been a long time since I last danced and I am afraid I may not be able to remember the steps’
‘I’ll lead’ Merlin said brightly, ‘so you don’t need to worry’
‘You know all of the steps?’ Gwen asked taken aback.
‘Nah, not all of them but I can improvise’ he grinned.
She laughed, ‘I leave myself in your capable hands’ she said, taking his hand and making her way onto the newly created dance floor, trying ignore Arthur’s eyes on her.
Morgana and Arthur joined them and the music began.
It quickly became apparent to Gwen that Merlin had no idea of any of the steps.
She laughed as he twirled her under his arm before he led her in a series of steps which certainly did not belong to any courtly dance.
‘Ow Arthur, that was my foot again!’ Morgana exclaimed as stepped on her toes for the fifth time.
‘Sorry, but you told me not to look at my feet’
‘Just concentrate on the steps’
‘It’s hard’ he said, allowing his eyes to drift over Merlin and Gwen for a split second, while trying to ignore the jealousy tearing at his insides.
‘Left Arthur! Left, not right!’
‘Right sorry’
‘No left!’
They were half way through the second set when Morgana suddenly exclaimed ‘I can’t do this anymore, my feet are killing me thanks to you, I need a break’, dropping Arthur’s hand mid dance.
‘Oh good, I need a rest too’ Arthur said rubbing his temple.
‘No you do not get to rest, you need as much practice as possible’ she said sitting down on a chair by the wall, ‘Gwen would you mind taking over?’ she slipped off her shoes and massaged her toes.
‘Er...’ Gwen mumbled as she stepped away from Merlin.
‘Er...’ Arthur stammered.
‘How tough are your shoes?’ Merlin laughed.
‘He can’t be that bad’
‘Well apparently I am’ Arthur said staring sheepishly at his feet.
‘Well you do love a challenge, don’t you Gwen?’
She bit her lip.
‘Please Gwen’ Morgana pleaded, ‘I would love for my feet to still be intact after this feast’
Gwen nodded, albeit a little reluctantly.
‘You sure?’ Arthur asked quietly, offering her his hand.
She swallowed dryly and took it.
They circled each other, Arthur concentrating on the placing of his feet.
‘So why have you been avoiding me?’ he asked nervously.
He was so focused on hearing her response and not tripping over his feet that he walked straight into her, having forgotten to change direction.
‘Other way Arthur’ she whispered with a small smile.
‘Right’ he said turning around, his face pink.
There was quiet for a moment, but just as Arthur was about to repeat his question, Gwen suddenly said ‘you don’t look very comfortable’ which of course only served to make Arthur feel, if possible, even more uncomfortable. ‘I just meant that I find it surprising because dancing reminds me a lot of swordsmanship’ she said into the awkward silence.
‘Really?’
‘I learnt sword craft when I was a child and when I learnt to dance several years later it seemed to require many of the same skills’ she shrugged.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well they both require a good memory for steps, they are both fairly instinctive, you have to respond to your partner’s movements, always being prepared for the next step, even if you don’t know what it is’ She smiled, a little embarrassed, ‘I know it sounds silly-’
‘It doesn’t sound silly at all’ he assured her earnestly.
He quickly began to focus much more on Gwen’s movements, her slight shifts in position which signalled the next step, the slight increase in pressure she would exert on his hand to indicate a change in direction. He liked having an innocent reason for looking at her.
‘They are looking pretty good’ Merlin said, watching the pair of them.
Morgana gawped, ‘I have never seen Arthur dance that well’
‘I guess Gwen must be a good teacher’
‘She must be’ she breathed, ‘and he hasn’t stepped on her toes once’ she grinned.
‘Nice prima donna moment’ Merlin said with a wink.
‘Thank you very much’ she replied with a slight nod ‘I thought it was a very convincing performance’
‘Indeed’
‘They look very sweet together don’t they?’ she said tilting her head to one side, ‘I wish they’d just talk a bit more’
‘I don’t think you sitting here staring at them will be helping matters’
‘Fine’ she said, turning pointedly to face Merlin, ‘but I think they could do with a slower dance’
She nodded almost imperceptibly at the young flautist.
The music changed from an upbeat and swift tune to a slow, swelling, string of notes.
‘Oh’ they said together.
‘This is a couple’s dance’ Arthur stammered, ‘don’t worry we don’t have to-’
But Gwen had already moved into him, so that they were almost touching, placed one hand on his shoulder, the other took his hand.
‘Oh okay’ he said, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, ‘erm...’ he murmured as he tried to work out where to place his spare hand.
‘On my waist’ she directed him with a smile.
He nervously placed his hand on her waist, but Gwen gave him a reassuring look and suddenly his nerves were forgotten. The steps were simple but he found his new confidence allowed him deviate away from the traditional motions to add a spin which caused her laugh before he brought her flush against his chest. She gulped as she looked him full in the face, her breaths a little uneven.
Then he took her by surprise by dipping her, reminding them both irresistibly of their kiss in the tent.
As she straightened up her cheeks were on fire with the heat of recollection.
Merlin watched them. The Future King and Queen of Camelot and Albion, he thought with a smile.
It wasn’t just Morgana who longed for the future she had dreamed of. He needed that future every bit as much as she did. He had dreamt so long of a time when he could be accepted for who he was, when his power and ability could be recognised, when he could be proud of who he was, not ashamed of the gift he had been born with. Who would have known it would take Arthur falling in love with a handmaiden to make such dreams reality? But as he watched the Prince dip the servant girl that future didn’t seem a million miles away. The first steps along that path had been taken long ago, and without his knowledge. It was his responsibility now to stop them from leaving that path, no matter what obstacles stood in their way. His first task was to convince Gwen a relationship with Arthur was possible, though, he thought, as he watched the Prince lift her clear off the ground and spin her around, Arthur looked like he was doing a pretty good job of that himself. He watched as Arthur set her slowly back on the ground once the music had stopped and he could not miss the wide smile on Gwen’s face however in a second it was gone, quickly hidden by her normal mask of composure.
‘So tell me who won?’ Arthur asked as they made their way over to Morgana and Merlin.
‘Won?’ Morgana asked bemused.
‘We had a bet going on who was the better dancer’ Merlin beamed.
Great, Morgana thought bitterly, so that little performance had been purely to protect his ego. And she had thought they might be finally getting somewhere.
‘Gwen tell us!’ Merlin said bouncing on the balls of his feet.
‘Merlin wins on account of originality’ she said and noticed Arthur’s hangdog expression before continuing, ‘but you won on the grounds of progress made sire’
‘That is such a cop out’ Merlin protested.
She raised her hands in mock surrender, ‘what can I say, I’m a pacifist.’
The corners of Arthur’s mouth twitched and their eyes met for a split second. She looked away, as if scalded by his gaze.
‘I should be getting back to the preparations for the feast’ she said quickly. ‘My Lady. My Lord’ she said curtseying low to both of them before turning on the spot and disappearing down the corridor.
A small frown creased his forehead as he watched her go but hid it instantly as he felt Morgana’s eyes fall on him.
A/N: Thanks so much for the great feedback, you guys have been fab. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and there are quite a few more to go I reckon. Will be updating on a weekly basis hopefully x
‘Yes My Lady, I made him a simple infusion of valerian, hops and wild lettuce, it is fairly mild, but hopefully it will do the trick, at least until Gaius returns.’
‘You are very attentive towards him’
‘Gaius?’ Gwen laughed.
‘No, Arthur’
‘He is the Crown Prince of Camelot, everyone is attentive to him’
‘But you seem to take very good care of him’
‘Because Uther would have my guts for garters if I did not’ she said, forcing a little laugh as she made Morgana’s bed.
‘So you wouldn’t consider him a friend?’
‘I am sure he is a good man and he will be a great King one day’
‘Oh’ Morgana said, trying to hide her disappointment.
‘Are you alright My Lady?’ Gwen asked, concerned, looking up.
‘I just can’t decide which dress to wear’ Morgana lied weakly, Gwen noticed but shrugged it off. She often felt that her mistress was not being entirely honest with her these days. Though who was she to judge? she thought as her mind ran through all the things she had neglected to tell Morgana. Not without due cause though, she reasoned, but it did not make the acceptance of the wall between them any easier.
‘So is the sleeping draught Gwen made for you working?’
‘Er, Morgana she gave it to Merlin to pass onto me this morning so I haven’t had a chance to take it yet’
‘Oh right, of course’ she said quickly, as she attempted to match Arthur’s stride down the corridor, ‘but it was very good of her to do it so quickly’
‘Yes, but it is a very simple draught’
‘I will have you know she put in a lot of effort to making that remedy for you’ Morgana snapped.
‘Oh really? Because Merlin told me it took her quarter of an hour’ he said, his eyebrows raised.
‘Well...’ Morgana blustered, ‘I still think you could sound more grateful’
‘She was just doing her job’
‘Her job is to be my handmaiden, not to nurse you’
‘Really?’ he said feigning a look of surprise, ‘I didn’t realise that she was your maid, I thought your maid was blonde’
‘I can’t believe you don’t remember who my maid is!’ she exclaimed before she noticed that Arthur was chuckling.
‘Bye Morgana’ he said with a jaunty wave as he disappeared off down the hallway.
‘Merlin, you haven’t seen Gwen around have you?’ Arthur asked as offhandedly as he could manage, biting into an apple.
‘She’s been around I guess’ Merlin shrugged.
‘So she hasn’t been ill or anything?’
‘I thought you said there was nothing to tell’ Merlin asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
‘There isn’t’ he said too quickly, ‘I was just wondering...’ he grumbled, ‘I haven’t seen her in the last week and I’ve been meaning to thank her for the sleeping draught’
‘I can tell her’ Merlin said as he rubbed beeswax into the table with a rag.
‘But-’ Arthur began.
‘But you wanted to do it in person?’ Merlin suggested with a smirk, looking up from his work.
Arthur nodded reluctantly.
‘Well have you tried looking for her?’
‘Yes, but she never seems to be around’ he said, before adding- in a voice which feigned disinterest- ‘she’s not avoiding me is she?’
‘What have you done?’
‘Nothing’ he said quickly before falling into a preoccupied silence. ‘At least I don’t think I’ve done anything’ he murmured half to himself, looking rather lost.
‘This is ridiculous’ Morgana said flopping down onto the bench beside Merlin, ‘my plan fell totally flat, they might know each other but they can’t see beyond their stations and how can anything possibly happen between them while that remains the case?’ she vented.
Merlin smothered a smile.
‘And if that wasn’t bad enough we have the spring equinox feast in two days which means Gwen has been rushed off her feet, and will be tied up preparations until it’s over. And on top of that I will have to spend the majority of the evening dancing with obnoxious noblemen most of whom can not dance to save their lives’
‘Will Arthur be dancing?’
‘Unfortunately yes’ she giggled.
‘He’s that bad?’
‘He doesn’t get much practice’
Merlin’s face lit up, he had an idea.
‘Gwen I need your help’ Merlin said bounding up to her in the corridor.
‘Of course’ she smiled over the basket of sheets, ‘let me just take these to the laundry and then I’m all yours’ she said quickly, before noticing Arthur who had just rounded the corner and was coming over to join them.
‘Sire’ she said inclining her head.
‘So are you going to give us a hand?’ he asked smiling.
‘Us?’ she said, looking nervously between the two men before her.
‘Yeah’ Merlin nodded before heading down the corridor towards the laundry.
‘I’ll carry that’ Arthur offered, gesturing at the basket.
‘Oh’ she said biting the corner of her lip, ‘that is very kind sire, but totally unnecessary’
‘Indulge me Guinevere’ he grinned.
‘It would not be appropriate, the Crown Prince can not be seen to be doing servants’ work, it would create suspicion, people might think...’ she trailed off embarrassed.
‘And pray tell me, what exactly might people think Guinevere?’ he asked innocently, the ghost of a smile on his face.
‘That you’re not as much of a prat as everyone thought?’ Merlin suggested brightly, noticing how Gwen determinedly avoided Arthur’s gaze.
‘So what do you need me to do?’ she said as they left the laundry.
‘We need to move around the furniture in the Council Chamber’
‘Oh okay, but the feast isn’t for another two days’
‘But Arthur needs to work on his dancing with Morgana, ‘cause he is dreadful’
Arthur looked rather embarrassedly at his feet, ‘it’s only because I never get the chance to practice’ he muttered. ‘Besides I bet I’m loads better than you’ he snapped at his manservant.
‘You wanna bet?’
‘I just said so didn’t I?’
‘Well, I bet you one silver penny’
‘I bet you ten’
Merlin mouthed soundlessly like a fish out of water. ‘But that’s a week wages’ he finally managed to splutter.
‘Then you’d better not lose’ Arthur grinned.
Gwen shook her head, half exasperated, half amused, ‘come on’ she said, pushing them in the smalls of their backs, propelling them towards the Council Room.
They arrived to find a rather anxious looking Morgana standing in the middle of the room.
‘Oh good, Gwen you came’
‘Anything to help’ she smiled, trying not to look at Arthur.
Together the four of them and the spotty flautist, who was their primitive solution to a lack of music, pushed the furniture up against the walls.
Gwen wiped her hands on her apron, ‘I should be getting back’
‘But we need you here’ Morgana protested, ‘we need to practice group dances too and that doesn’t really work unless we have another couple’
‘What, me and Merlin?’ she asked surprised.
‘Why not?’
‘Because it has been a long time since I last danced and I am afraid I may not be able to remember the steps’
‘I’ll lead’ Merlin said brightly, ‘so you don’t need to worry’
‘You know all of the steps?’ Gwen asked taken aback.
‘Nah, not all of them but I can improvise’ he grinned.
She laughed, ‘I leave myself in your capable hands’ she said, taking his hand and making her way onto the newly created dance floor, trying ignore Arthur’s eyes on her.
Morgana and Arthur joined them and the music began.
It quickly became apparent to Gwen that Merlin had no idea of any of the steps.
She laughed as he twirled her under his arm before he led her in a series of steps which certainly did not belong to any courtly dance.
‘Ow Arthur, that was my foot again!’ Morgana exclaimed as stepped on her toes for the fifth time.
‘Sorry, but you told me not to look at my feet’
‘Just concentrate on the steps’
‘It’s hard’ he said, allowing his eyes to drift over Merlin and Gwen for a split second, while trying to ignore the jealousy tearing at his insides.
‘Left Arthur! Left, not right!’
‘Right sorry’
‘No left!’
They were half way through the second set when Morgana suddenly exclaimed ‘I can’t do this anymore, my feet are killing me thanks to you, I need a break’, dropping Arthur’s hand mid dance.
‘Oh good, I need a rest too’ Arthur said rubbing his temple.
‘No you do not get to rest, you need as much practice as possible’ she said sitting down on a chair by the wall, ‘Gwen would you mind taking over?’ she slipped off her shoes and massaged her toes.
‘Er...’ Gwen mumbled as she stepped away from Merlin.
‘Er...’ Arthur stammered.
‘How tough are your shoes?’ Merlin laughed.
‘He can’t be that bad’
‘Well apparently I am’ Arthur said staring sheepishly at his feet.
‘Well you do love a challenge, don’t you Gwen?’
She bit her lip.
‘Please Gwen’ Morgana pleaded, ‘I would love for my feet to still be intact after this feast’
Gwen nodded, albeit a little reluctantly.
‘You sure?’ Arthur asked quietly, offering her his hand.
She swallowed dryly and took it.
They circled each other, Arthur concentrating on the placing of his feet.
‘So why have you been avoiding me?’ he asked nervously.
He was so focused on hearing her response and not tripping over his feet that he walked straight into her, having forgotten to change direction.
‘Other way Arthur’ she whispered with a small smile.
‘Right’ he said turning around, his face pink.
There was quiet for a moment, but just as Arthur was about to repeat his question, Gwen suddenly said ‘you don’t look very comfortable’ which of course only served to make Arthur feel, if possible, even more uncomfortable. ‘I just meant that I find it surprising because dancing reminds me a lot of swordsmanship’ she said into the awkward silence.
‘Really?’
‘I learnt sword craft when I was a child and when I learnt to dance several years later it seemed to require many of the same skills’ she shrugged.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well they both require a good memory for steps, they are both fairly instinctive, you have to respond to your partner’s movements, always being prepared for the next step, even if you don’t know what it is’ She smiled, a little embarrassed, ‘I know it sounds silly-’
‘It doesn’t sound silly at all’ he assured her earnestly.
He quickly began to focus much more on Gwen’s movements, her slight shifts in position which signalled the next step, the slight increase in pressure she would exert on his hand to indicate a change in direction. He liked having an innocent reason for looking at her.
‘They are looking pretty good’ Merlin said, watching the pair of them.
Morgana gawped, ‘I have never seen Arthur dance that well’
‘I guess Gwen must be a good teacher’
‘She must be’ she breathed, ‘and he hasn’t stepped on her toes once’ she grinned.
‘Nice prima donna moment’ Merlin said with a wink.
‘Thank you very much’ she replied with a slight nod ‘I thought it was a very convincing performance’
‘Indeed’
‘They look very sweet together don’t they?’ she said tilting her head to one side, ‘I wish they’d just talk a bit more’
‘I don’t think you sitting here staring at them will be helping matters’
‘Fine’ she said, turning pointedly to face Merlin, ‘but I think they could do with a slower dance’
She nodded almost imperceptibly at the young flautist.
The music changed from an upbeat and swift tune to a slow, swelling, string of notes.
‘Oh’ they said together.
‘This is a couple’s dance’ Arthur stammered, ‘don’t worry we don’t have to-’
But Gwen had already moved into him, so that they were almost touching, placed one hand on his shoulder, the other took his hand.
‘Oh okay’ he said, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, ‘erm...’ he murmured as he tried to work out where to place his spare hand.
‘On my waist’ she directed him with a smile.
He nervously placed his hand on her waist, but Gwen gave him a reassuring look and suddenly his nerves were forgotten. The steps were simple but he found his new confidence allowed him deviate away from the traditional motions to add a spin which caused her laugh before he brought her flush against his chest. She gulped as she looked him full in the face, her breaths a little uneven.
Then he took her by surprise by dipping her, reminding them both irresistibly of their kiss in the tent.
As she straightened up her cheeks were on fire with the heat of recollection.
Merlin watched them. The Future King and Queen of Camelot and Albion, he thought with a smile.
It wasn’t just Morgana who longed for the future she had dreamed of. He needed that future every bit as much as she did. He had dreamt so long of a time when he could be accepted for who he was, when his power and ability could be recognised, when he could be proud of who he was, not ashamed of the gift he had been born with. Who would have known it would take Arthur falling in love with a handmaiden to make such dreams reality? But as he watched the Prince dip the servant girl that future didn’t seem a million miles away. The first steps along that path had been taken long ago, and without his knowledge. It was his responsibility now to stop them from leaving that path, no matter what obstacles stood in their way. His first task was to convince Gwen a relationship with Arthur was possible, though, he thought, as he watched the Prince lift her clear off the ground and spin her around, Arthur looked like he was doing a pretty good job of that himself. He watched as Arthur set her slowly back on the ground once the music had stopped and he could not miss the wide smile on Gwen’s face however in a second it was gone, quickly hidden by her normal mask of composure.
‘So tell me who won?’ Arthur asked as they made their way over to Morgana and Merlin.
‘Won?’ Morgana asked bemused.
‘We had a bet going on who was the better dancer’ Merlin beamed.
Great, Morgana thought bitterly, so that little performance had been purely to protect his ego. And she had thought they might be finally getting somewhere.
‘Gwen tell us!’ Merlin said bouncing on the balls of his feet.
‘Merlin wins on account of originality’ she said and noticed Arthur’s hangdog expression before continuing, ‘but you won on the grounds of progress made sire’
‘That is such a cop out’ Merlin protested.
She raised her hands in mock surrender, ‘what can I say, I’m a pacifist.’
The corners of Arthur’s mouth twitched and their eyes met for a split second. She looked away, as if scalded by his gaze.
‘I should be getting back to the preparations for the feast’ she said quickly. ‘My Lady. My Lord’ she said curtseying low to both of them before turning on the spot and disappearing down the corridor.
A small frown creased his forehead as he watched her go but hid it instantly as he felt Morgana’s eyes fall on him.
A/N: Thanks so much for the great feedback, you guys have been fab. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and there are quite a few more to go I reckon. Will be updating on a weekly basis hopefully x