Amelia's Story (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 24: Beauty and the Beast Part Two

"Yeah, sounds delicious." Merlin sarcastically agrees.

"Good, 'cause you're going to taste it," Gaius tells him.

Merlin immediately pulls back, "No way."

"It's completely harmless."

"Er, no." But after a couple of encouraging nods from Gaius, he sighs in defeat.

"If it helps, remember this is to save the Kingdom," Anne says with a grimace.

Merlin grimaces and sticks a finger into the bottle and brings his finger to his mouth. He immediately gags as soon as he tastes it. Amelia pulls a face at the sight of it. Merlin coughs before spluttering out, "That is... ugh. That is disgusting."

"Yes, to you, but not to a Troll." Gaius reminds him.

"I can't even believe you let me put that in my mouth," Merlin says.

"Yes, well, try the original," Gaius says, pulling out the other potion.

"Oh..." Merlin winces.

"Just a small amount. And be sure to spit it out." And with that Merlin does the same action as before and is straight away gagging and spits it out.

"Does it taste roughly the same?" Gaius questions.

"Yes! It's horrible." Merlin exclaims.

"Are you sure though?" Amelia asks. "Cause the Troll will notice if they're not."

"It tastes exactly the same."

"Well, let's hope she thinks so, too," Anne says.

——

Anne's POV

Anne decides that maybe she should do this one so that Merlin doesn't get caught. She still sneaks past patrolling Guards, just in case something happens, and peaks through the gate and sees that the room is empty. She slips in, whispers "Tospringe" and puts the fake potion back in the cupboard.

She then hears someone coming and hides in the wardrobe. Jonas enters and sits. Anne notices she left the cupboard door open.

"Fýrbendum fæst." She quickly whispers. Jonas hears and gets up to investigate the cupboard noise. But moves away when nothing else happens. He sits down and Anne sighs quietly. Seems she'll be here a while.

——

Amelia's POV

Amelia is taking a walk with Arthur in the Lower Town. They see Guards wrestling with a man.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Arthur exclaims, running over with Amelia close behind.

"He's refusing to pay the King's tax." The Guard, Patrick, explains. Oh yeah, Uther has introduced a harsher tax. Probably the influence of the Troll.

"You- you ask for too much." The man, in the clutches of the Guards, begs. "I've given all I can."

"That's not enough!" Patrick says, shaking him. The crowd stares at Arthur and Amelia imploringly.

"Let us see," Amelia says and Patrick hands it over.

Arthur looks in the money pouch and hands it to the man. "Release him."

"The King said..."

"He said release him and while you're at it, give them back their money. All of it." Amelia orders.

The Guards listen and Arthur and Amelia leave with people smiling and bowing to them.

——