Amelia's Story (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 24: Beauty and the Beast Part Two

"You must keep up the pretence!" Jonas says as he rifles through the cupboard. What is in there?

"I hate being like this! So clean! It's revolting. I can't keep it up. This skin, this face! I just want to claw it off!" The Troll's hands grip onto its face as if it is about to do just that, bending so far over it almost goes to the floor. Jonas comes back over carrying something.

"Think of all the money," the Troll perks up, "and the power. Soon it will all be yours." Jonas places a potion bottle on the table. Anne watches as it takes the potion. The Troll pulls back its sleeve and a patch of Troll skin disappears.

Afterwards, the Troll pulls itself up and moves to exit the room. Merlin and Anne run to hide. The Troll exits and walks past them with all the poise of a lady.

——

Anne and Merlin wait till that night when Jonas is sleeping and sneak into the Chambers.

They walk over to the cupboard and Merlin lifts his hand towards it and whispers, "Tospringe."

Jonas whimpering and crying in his sleep startles them briefly. Once he settles, Anne takes the potion bottle.

——

Amelia's POV

Anne and Merlin return with the potion bottle and Gaius analyses it over a flame.

"We saw her drink some of this potion and a patch of Troll skin on her arm disappeared," Anne explains.

"It must be pretty powerful magic to physically change her like that," Gaius notes, opening the bottle to give it a sniff.

"Could you make a potion that looks and tastes the same as this?" Merlin asks.

"I don't know. Yes, I suppose so, but without the Troll magic, it wouldn't have the same effect." Gaius says. He then walks over to a table to sit down.

"No, that's good. If this potion can be replaced with one that isn't magical..." Anne trails off.

"...Catrina will keep taking it, but it'll no longer work." Amelia finishes. Brilliant! This is how they expose the Troll though the next issue will be the enchantment.

"And she'll turn into a Troll," Merlin adds. "Think you can do it?"

"I don't know," Gaius murmurs.

"We have to make the switch before morning or Jonas will notice." Anne points out.

"Then it's going to be a long night." Gaius quips.

Amelia groans. "Oh great."

——

The next morning Gaius holds up two potions that look exactly the same.

"What's in it?" Merlin asks.

"Nothing too potent. Rat's guts." Gaius says.

"Oooh, lovely," Amelia remarks.

"Toad paste." At the looks of confusion, Gaius begins to explain, "Take two toads, grind them up..."

Anne holds up a hand to stop him. "We get the picture."

"Horse dung. Crushed sheep's eyeball."

"Oh, lovely," Amelia says, feeling like she wants to gag at the sound of it all.

"Pond scum. Three wolf spiders. And what potion isn't complete without a dash of sheep's brain?"

"Nothing apparently," Amelia mumbles through her hand.