"i started teaching gwen how to sword fight. pretty soon, all the women you know will be able to beat you up."
[2.10 — Sweet Dreams]
"So, I hear you're going to be waiting on Lady Vivian."
Gwen groaned and rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me. I've only heard horrible things about her. Morgana said she's one of the most spoiled, ungrateful royals that she's ever met."
Lia and Gwen were walking down the corridor together. All five of the kingdoms were coming together to talk about a peace treaty. It was very important, and if successful, Camelot would enter a new era of prosperity. Unfortunately, King Olaf was bringing his daughter, who had an unpleasant reputation for being... unpleasant. Gwen would be attending to her while she was in Camelot.
"Well, I am here if you need me," Lia offered, linking her arm with Gwen's. "If she becomes too much, just say you have to attend to Morgana and I can cover for you."
"You're too kind," she said, smiling. "I should be able to handle her on my own though. But I actually was wanting to ask a favor of you."
"Anything," she told her.
"For a while, really since we went to Ealdor, I've been wanting to learn how to defend myself," Gwen began. "Morgana can fight. You can. Morgause even beat Arthur in battle. For the longest time, I thought that because I was a woman I was doomed to be weak, but you've shown me that is not true. I don't want to be useless if I'm ever put in a situation like with Kendrick and his men. I understand if you're too busy, but would it be too much to ask you to teach me how to use a sword?"
Lia grinned brightly at Gwen. "Of course, Gwen! Give me two weeks, and I'll make a warrior out of you. The Knights of Camelot will tremble at the sight of you."
Gwen giggled, shaking her head. "I don't think I'll be quite as ferocious. When shall we start?"
"First, let's see how busy Lady Vivian is going to keep you," Lia said. They were drawing nearer to her guest chambers where she'd be staying. "We can use the training grounds at night once Morgana goes to sleep."
"Thank you so much," she said, hugging Lia. "I've still got a few swords of my father's that we can use."
As they neared the guest chambers, they could hear Arthur's voice, meaning that Vivian and her father had already arrived. Gwen picked up her pace and entered the room, not wanting to make a bad impression by being late. Arthur looked almost relieved when he saw her, clearly not having a good time alone with Vivian.
"Well, uh, may I present Guinevere," he said as Gwen curtsied. Vivian began looking her up and down in a judgmental way. "She'll be looking after you for the duration of your stay. You'll want for nothing. She is truly one of Camelot's finest."
A short, unimpressed giggle left Vivian's lips. "Then I fear for Camelot."
They all did their best to look impassive at Vivian's rudeness. Clearly, all the rumors about her personality had been true. They left her to settle in, and once the door was safely shut, Lia and Gwen shared a shocked look. Arthur smiled as they laughed, at least thankful that Gwen's feelings weren't hurt.
"Good luck with that one," Arthur told her.
"I'll need it," she said, shaking her head.
"I shall check on you later to make sure you're surviving," Lia said, grinning. Gwen nodded and sighed heavily before going back into Vivian's guest chambers. Lia leaned against the wall and looked at Arthur, who was smiling down at her. "Poor Gwen. You ought to tell your father to give her a raise after this."
"Perhaps I'll casually mention it in passing to him," he said. Arthur looked at her fondly for a moment longer before remembering that they were in an open hallway and the Prince couldn't be caught looking at a physician in such a way. "I need to prepare for the feast."
| | |
"Merlin," Arthur said, coming out from behind his changing screen. Merlin was busy brushing off his coat. "What kind of impression do you think this gives?"
Merlin turned to see Arthur holding his arm up. His thumb was poking through a large hole in his shirt-sleeve and he looked very unimpressed. "That we have moths?" Merlin asked sarcastically.
Arthur sighed before walking back behind the screen. "Fetch me another."
"And who might you be trying to impress, Sire?" Merlin asked, getting a new shirt.
"Well, let me see. Perhaps the five kings sitting in the banquet hall below."
"Oh. Not the King's daughter, then?" Merlin asked in a joking tone. "The Lady Vivian, she is very beautiful."
Arthur rolled his eyes as he threw the new shirt on. "Anyone trying to impress the Lady Vivian does so at extreme peril. Olaf'd have their head in a vat of hot oil before they'd have a chance to say hello. Besides, she's not my type. She may be beautiful, but she's incredibly rude. You should've heard what she said to Gwen."
"Yeah, Lia told me," he said, frowning. "I'm just thankful she did not say anything about her. Anyone insulting Lia should do so at extreme peril."
"What?" Arthur asked in a sharp tone.
"Nothing. I just know how you feel about her, that's all," Merlin muttered. Well, that and half the Knights of Camelot would line up to defend her honor. "That is if your feelings haven't changed, as I presume they haven't."
Arthur glared harshly at him. "I do have my own vat of hot oil, you know."
Merlin only laughed, not bothered by the glare. "You're blushing!"
"No, I'm not." Arthur immediately went to hide behind the changing screen just in case he actually was blushing.
"What's wrong with Lia?"
"Nothing."
"I think she's very worthy of your love. Though, you'd certainly need my permission to pursue her."
Arthur scoffed. "Indeed, were it so."
"Which... it is," Merlin said. He held out Arthur's coat and helped him into it.
"Merlin?"
"Yes, Arthur?"
"Get out," he ordered.
"Yes, Sire."
Merlin hardly tried to hide the amused smirk on his face as he left. Arthur stood in the middle of his room, glaring at Merlin's back. Once the servant was gone, the glare left his face and he relaxed. If Merlin kept on making fun of his feelings for Lia, he would have him thrown in the stocks. The more he thought about it, the more pleasing the idea sounded. Not only would Merlin learn his lesson about keeping his mouth shut, but it would make Lia happy too.
| | |
Lia stood next to Gwen at the banquet, Morgana and Vivian sitting in front of them. They watched as the Court Jester from Deorham, Trickler, breathed fire from his mouth. Everyone cheered as the trick ended.
"But it is not enough to please just the gentlemen of the court. Now I have a spectacle for the ladies," Trickler said, facing Morgana and Vivian.
He waved his arms and butterflies seemingly came out of nowhere, making everyone gasp. Lia smiled in wonder as she watched them fly around but then she frowned and she caught Merlin's eye, who looked a bit confused. Trickler's tricks seemed almost impossible — like he was using magic. But that was ridiculous. He wouldn't dare use it so openly in front of Uther.
Trickler suddenly gasped, his gaze landing on Vivian. "But what is this? Lady Vivian." Her eyes widened as he stepped closer, reaching for her. He put his hand by her ear and then pulled it back to reveal a butterfly on his hand. "It has mistaken you for a beautiful flower."
That had been the first thing to actually please Vivian while at Camelot. The whole room clapped as Trickler bowed happily. No one noticed the lock of blonde hair he had in his fist. He glanced at King Alined, who nodded subtly to him. They had everything they needed to ensure the peace treaty never saw the light of day.
| | |
"Good morning, Sire," Merlin greeted. His eyes were glued to the tray of breakfast, trying not to spill it as he entered Arthur's chambers.
"Never have you been more right, Merlin. It is the sunniest, the most fragrant, the most beautiful morning I've ever seen in my life."
Merlin set the food down and looked at Arthur with a shocked expression. Not only was Arthur out of bed, but he was fully ready for the day. "You're dressed," he noted. Merlin didn't even know Arthur could get up and ready on his own.
"I am the future King of Camelot. I do have some skills, you know," Arthur said, continuing to gaze out the window at the blonde beauty below.
"Indeed, you are very skilled at getting people to do things for you," Merlin muttered. He moved to Arthur's bed to make it up.
"That is your job. But today my job is to woo."
Merlin froze and looked at him. "To what?"
"To woo," he said once more. Arthur walked over to Merlin with a proud smile. "I wish to make a proclamation of love."
Merlin couldn't believe his ears. Just the day before, Arthur couldn't even admit out loud that he still had feelings for Lia. "Really? I thought you wanted to keep your feelings secret?"
"Why would I want to do that? By the end of today I will have won my lady," he declared.
"Right. Well, what will you tell your father?" Merlin asked. What if it ended in Lia losing her job?
"What does my father matter?"
"Well, that's one way of approaching things," he muttered.
Arthur turned to Merlin expectantly. "So, I need your help in expressing my feelings."
He rolled his eyes. "Of course."
Arthur snapped excitedly and waited for Merlin to continue, but he had no idea what he was supposed to say. He looked at Arthur, waiting for a better explanation.
"How do I express my feelings?" he asked.
"Oh, I see. Um, feelings," he said a bit awkwardly.
"Feelings," Arthur repeated.
"Girls."
"Girls."
"Flowers?" he finally suggested. Lia always loved when she got flowers, no matter who from or what kind.
"Excellent," Arthur complimented. "Find some. Perhaps you should also send a note."
"Brilliant idea," Merlin said. He was surprised by how enthusiastic Arthur was about it.
"Something moving. Something from the heart. Something — you'll think of something."
Merlin watched skeptically as Arthur left. A small part of him couldn't believe that Arthur was asking him to not only get the flowers but write the note as well. He knew for a fact that Arthur had already handpicked pink buttercups for her once, so he wondered why he suddenly thought himself too good to do it on his own. Perhaps it was because he was so busy with the treaty signing.
It did not take long for Merlin to scrounge up a bouquet of pink buttercups, daisies, and lavender to give to Lia. He knew that she was out making deliveries, so he went up to their shared chambers and sat the flowers on her bed so that she'd see them right away. Then he pulled the note from his jacket pocket to read it over once more.
"The barriers that keep us apart are nothing compared to the power of true love. — Arthur"
He was pleased with his work as he set it down carefully next to the flowers. Merlin just hoped that Lia would believe that Arthur had actually written it instead of him. It certainly was a bit out of character for him.
After leaving the physician chambers, Merlin headed to the council chambers, where the kings were all gathered for peace talks. Arthur had been slouching in his chair, looking rather bored by the whole ordeal. He perked up when he noticed Merlin entering. He quickly excused himself and followed Merlin out to the courtyard corridor.
"Did you do it?" he asked eagerly.
"I left them in her room. I thought that was better than a public display," he explained.
"You're sure she got them?"
"I'm sure she will get them."
"Good. All we can do now is wait," Arthur said, grinning. Just then, he noticed Vivian and Gwen walking down the other end of the corridor. "Oh, but heaven has blessed me. She's even more beautiful than before, don't you agree?"
Merlin frowned, following Arthur's line of sight. Lia was nowhere to be found. "Wait, what?"
"I know you said you didn't want to make a public display, but that's nonsense. I want to tell the world. I want to shout it across the kingdom," Arthur declared.
While glancing between Arthur and the approaching ladies, he grew even more confused. "I don't quite understand—"
"I don't need you to understand my feelings, Merlin," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "Your opinions of Lady Vivian mean nothing. She is of royal blood and a future queen — my future queen."
Arthur stalked off back to the council chambers, leaving a dumbstruck Merlin. "Lady Vivian?" Then his face fell. "Oh, no!"
He ran as fast as he could back to the physician chambers, hoping that Lia hadn't returned yet. If not, then several problems would likely arrive. And if those problems led to Lia crying, it would all be Merlin's fault. As he burst into his shared chambers with Lia, he saw that she was standing next to her bed, reading the note with a small smile on her face. The flowers had already been put in a vase on her nightstand.
"Hi, Merlin," Lia said, putting the note down on the bed. "Aren't you supposed to be with Arthur?"
"Rats," he said suddenly, not able to think of anything else. Of course, he didn't need an excuse to barge in his own room, but that thought hadn't registered in his head fast enough.
"What?" she asked, frowning.
Merlin nodded, deciding to stick to the lie. "Yeah. Rats with big, hairy, sharp teeth." He then crouched down and peered under her bed. "Uh, yeah, definitely under here."
Lia's eyes widened and she sat on her bed, pulling her feet up on it. Though she too looked under the bed and saw that there were no vicious rats. "Lin, are you feeling alright?"
"Me? Never better. You?" he asked, getting to his feet.
That soft smile once again adorned Lia's face and her cheeks heated up. "I'm having a very surprising day," was all she said.
"Ah," he said, awkwardly.
His eyes fell on the flowers, which she noticed. Then he glanced nervously at the note, which she also noticed. Lia bit her lip, glancing between Merlin and the piece of paper. After a moment, she picked it back up and skimmed the contents.
"You know, Arthur's handwriting is surprisingly similar to yours," she stated after a moment. She didn't look upset as she looked up at him. Merlin awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Let me guess. Arthur asked you to deliver flowers, and you added the note to try and make it more special?"
Merlin froze for a moment before realizing that agreeing to Lia's theory would be the best way to fix things. There was no reason she needed to know that the flowers were intended for another girl.
"Uh, y - yes," he said, stuttering a bit. "Yeah, he has just been so busy with the peace treaty so he didn't have time to do it himself. And you know me — I'll always take the extra step to make you smile."
"You're too sweet, Merlin," Lia said, kissing him on the cheek. "Arthur would certainly be at a loss without you at his side."
"No kidding," he mumbled. "Hey, let's not, uh, tell Arthur about the note. He might get angry."
Lia laughed. "Oh, but he'd love another reason to throw things at you."
"Trust me, he doesn't need any help in that department."
| | |
Lia wasn't at dinner that night, claiming to have plans with Gwen. Her absence gave Merlin the perfect opportunity to pace the floor while frantically worrying about the situation between Arthur, Lia, and Vivian. Gaius watched him expectantly.
"I may have caused a problem," Merlin said after several moments of silent pacing. "Although it wasn't entirely my doing."
"What now, Merlin?" he tiredly asked. If Merlin was willingly admitting to causing a problem, then it was serious.
"Arthur's in love," he blurted out.
"And how did you cause that?" Gaius asked, smirking.
"That bit isn't my fault, the other bit is," he said. Then Merlin sighed, remembering that he couldn't go telling Gaius about Lia and Arthur potentially having feelings for each other. "Oh, I can't tell you about that bit."
"Clear as mud," Gaius told him.
"Arthur's completely besotted. He can't concentrate on anything. All he thinks about, all he talks about is... is the Lady Vivian."
Gaius' eyes widened in disbelief. She had only been in Camelot for two days. "The Lady Vivian? How could that have happened so suddenly?"
"I don't know. Something doesn't feel right. Only yesterday he dismissed her as rude," Merlin told him.
"If Arthur professes his love for Vivian, Olaf will be furious," Gaius warned. "Surely, Arthur knows that?"
He sighed and nodded. "He said it was his job to woo his lady by the end of the day."
"And it's your job to stop him," he said. "Perhaps ask Lia for some help—"
"No!" he quickly interrupted. Gaius raised a surprised eyebrow at his outburst. "I, uh, that - she has to do with the bit I can't tell you about."
"Merlin, just remember that the King has proven that he will throw you in the stocks if Lia asks him to," Gaius reminded him. "Tread carefully."
| | |
Normally, Merlin would've questioned why Lia was out so late at night with Gwen. But she couldn't have timed her new nightly activities better. After interrupting Arthur's very unwanted advances towards Vivian, he returned to the physician chambers with a lock of blonde hair that most certainly hadn't belonged to the Prince. Gaius inspected the hair carefully as Merlin told him that it was under Arthur's pillow.
"I knew something wasn't right," Merlin said.
"Arthur's enchanted," Gaius stated.
"I should have realized he had magic," he said, frustrated with himself. Both his and Lia's suspicions during the banquet had been correct. "No one can make butterflies appear from thin air."
"Trickler," Gaius realized.
"Why would he want Arthur to fall in love with Vivian?" Merlin asked.
"An advance by Arthur would be a sure-fire way to ruin the peace conference. Maybe Alined wants war," Gaius guessed.
"Without creating it himself," he added.
"It's the sort of cowardly behavior you would expect from him. Cowardly, but clever."
Merlin sighed. "We need to find a way of turning Arthur back to normal."
"Before it's too late," Gaius said.
Their planning was interrupted by Lia's arrival. She had a smile on her face and was dressed in trousers and a loose shirt, a sword at her side.
"Where have you been off to?" Merlin asked, eying her. Then he scrunched up his nose once she got closer. "Why are you so sweaty?"
Lia rolled her eyes while fixing a cup of water to drink. "I started teaching Gwen how to sword fight. Pretty soon, all the women you know will be able to beat you up."
"No need to rub it in," he muttered. Then he glanced nervously at Gaius, knowing that they had to start searching for answers. "Well, you must be tired from all that work. You probably want to get right to bed once you wash off."
As if on cue, a soft yawn left her lips. "I am. And I have to get up rather early tomorrow and go collect some herbs we're running low on."
"I'll do my best to be quiet when I come to bed then," Merlin said. He began slowly leading her towards their chambers. Thankfully, she was too worn out to be suspicious. Once the door was shut, he sighed and turned back to Gaius. "Alright, let's get to work."
"Merlin, I don't understand why you can't tell Lia about all this now that we know he's enchanted," Gaius muttered, pulling out a few different books to start with. "What does she have to do with Arthur thinking he's in love with Lady Vivian?"
"I just... she doesn't need to know. I can handle this subtly and quietly without disturbing her day-to-day life."
Gaius didn't even begin to try and hide the doubtful expression on his face. "Merlin, subtle and quiet are two words that have never been used to describe you."
| | |
The next day, Lia was rushing around Camelot making deliveries. Given that visitors from four other kingdoms were in Camelot at one time, her workload had heavily increased. Though as she walked through the courtyard, she spotted Arthur, who was petting his horse absentmindedly. She smiled shyly as she passed behind him, but paused when she finally caught sight of his pouty expression.
"What is it, Arthur?" she asked, joining his side. "You look like you have something on your mind."
Arthur sighed and nodded. He left his horse's side and began walking through the courtyard, Lia following. "You read me like a book. I've made a fool of myself, that's all. That's everything."
Lia smiled, figuring that Merlin must have let it slip that she knew about the forged note. Truly, she wasn't upset by it. "I'm sure that is not true."
"You have a good heart, Lia, but I'm afraid it is," he told her. "I have made a gesture, but it was not well received."
"You sure?" Lia asked, raising an amused eyebrow.
"Pretty sure."
"Then you are wrong," she said. He looked down at her expectantly, though she misinterpreted the reason why he looked so hopeful.
"You do know the lady in question," he said.
Lia couldn't help but laugh. "Your token was much appreciated. But the situation is delicate, and it is not always easy to express what is really in one's heart."
"You think there's hope?" he asked, smiling at her.
"There is always hope," she told him.
"If only I had some way of knowing."
She playfully rolled her eyes, thinking the bit that he was doing was quite funny. "Indeed, My Prince."
Arthur grinned before walking off, leaving Lia with a hopeful smile on her face. A plan quickly formed in her head, but she'd have to wait until she was finished with her deliveries. It took a while for her to make her way to each room, but finally, she made it back to her own chambers.
Once she had everything ready, Lia went to Arthur's chambers. She did not knock on the door though. After rereading it one last time to make sure it was perfect, she slipped the note, along with one of the flowers he had given her, under the door. Perhaps it was bold, but Gaius and Merlin would both be out of the physician chambers that night, meaning they wouldn't be caught — perhaps they could go to the wildflower field. Lia's cheeks were red as she then went to meet Gwen for lunch.
Though Lia did not tell her the reason, Gwen understood why they couldn't meet to work on her sword fighting skills that night. While they ate, they caught each other up on the gossip around the castle. Lia had just finished telling her about who Sir Basset was caught kissing in a closet when Gwen brought it up.
"Oh, and have you heard that absurd rumor about Arthur?" Gwen asked, finishing her sandwich.
"No. What?" she asked, grinning. Most rumors about Arthur were hilarious, especially the ones where Merlin was involved.
"Well, apparently, the Court Jester from Deorham thought that Lady Vivian was in Arthur's chambers in just her nightgown. He told King Olaf, who was furious. He stormed into Arthur's chambers with his knights. Of course, Lady Vivian wasn't there though."
Lia snorted and rolled her eyes. "Obviously. He thinks that she's horrid and incredibly rude."
"He's right about that," Gwen said, chuckling. Then she groaned. "Speaking of, I need to get back to her. Wish me luck."
"There's likely not enough luck in the world."
| | |
At last, the peace talks between the five kingdoms had come to an end. Uther happily stood and raised his goblet to toast the other Kings and their success.
"This is, indeed, a momentous day for the five kingdoms. My only wish is that King Florian and the kingdom of Lórien could have been included. This peace treaty's been long in the making, but I know you must all be keen to return to your families, so we will make preparation for the signing ceremony immediately. I am pleased, friends. Very pleased."
Arthur was ecstatic that the boring peace talks had finally come to an end. He'd have rather been spending his time trying to woo his beloved Vivian. So, once it was deemed acceptable, he left the council chamber and rushed to his own room. The previous night, his advances hadn't been welcomed, but he was nothing if not persistent. And the encouragement from Lia earlier told him that Vivian obviously felt the same way.
As soon as Arthur reached his chambers, he immediately noticed the note on the floor. It had his name written in beautiful handwriting on the front and was accompanied by a single pink buttercup. He picked it up and opened it. As Arthur read the note, his chest swelled with hope.
"A second chance. Sunset. I will await your presence."
Lia had been right, he realized. Lady Vivian did return his love. Now, he only needed to wait until sunset.
| | |
The physician chamber was empty. Gaius was at the banquet being held for the treaty signing, and Merlin was off doing who knows what. The sun was beginning to set, and Lia moved the vase of flowers from her room to the table in the physician chambers. Perhaps she felt a bit silly as she put on her favorite pink dress and lit a few candles, but it didn't matter. A part of her was finally ready to open her heart to Arthur and she wanted everything to be perfect.
She couldn't fight a smile as she prepared for Arthur's arrival.
Unfortunately, he would never come. The Prince was far too busy trying to sneak into Vivian's room. There had been guards posted near her door, meaning he had to get creative. As Lia was tying the pink ribbon in her hair, Arthur was scaling the wall of the palace to reach Vivian's chambers with a rose in his mouth. He fell through the window but quickly got to his feet, sighing as he stared longingly down at a sleeping Vivian.
"At last."
It seemed that everyone in the castle was searching for the Prince. Lia was waiting by the window in the physician chambers. Merlin was running around looking for him. His father was wondering why he wasn't at the banquet for the signing.
Arthur had slowly lowered himself on the bed next to Vivian. He gently caressed her cheek, pulling her from her slumber. When she laid eyes on Arthur, she sat up quickly.
"My love," she greeted, sighing dreamily.
"Always. Forever."
Merlin barged in just as the two launched into a heated kiss. Neither noticed his presence as he quickly chanted a spell, which he thought would break the love spell over them. Though nothing happened and they continued to kiss. He continued the spell three more times, each time failing.
Around the time that Merlin had discovered Arthur and Vivian, Olaf had gotten suspicious about his daughter's whereabouts. Along with Uther, Alined, and Trickler, they quickly rushed through the castle and towards Vivian's guest chambers. They were not quiet, meaning that they caught Lia's attention when they passed by the physician chambers.
She was hesitant to follow and contemplated just remaining in the physician chambers. But she had a bad feeling, and given that it was well past sunset and Arthur had not yet arrived, Lia made the decision to get up and head in the same direction that the kings had disappeared in, staying far enough behind them to not be caught. It wasn't long before she realized they were heading to Vivian's chambers.
"I knew it!" she heard Olaf shout angrily.
"Arthur!" Uther yelled in disbelief.
Lia picked up her pace as everyone barged into the room. When she got to the doorway, she saw what had angered Olaf. Vivian was only dressed in her nightgown, and Arthur's arms were wrapped around her as they knelt on her bed. A silent, confused gasp left her lips at the sight. Why was he holding her in such a way?
"Father, we've got something to tell you," Vivian said, grinning. In response, Olaf furiously removed his glove and threw it at the foot of the bed, glaring at Arthur. "Father!"
Arthur glanced at the glove before looking back at Olaf. "You once said that if you ever truly offended my honor, then you would happily pay the price. What say you now, Prince Arthur?"
"How have I offended your honor?" Arthur asked, getting up from the bed, still holding Vivian's hand. "Surely not with my love alone?"
"Love?" Lia whispered to herself. She couldn't believe what Arthur was saying.
"Love? You don't know the first thing about love. You're taking advantage of an innocent girl!" Olaf accused.
"Father," Vivian whined.
"Arthur!" Uther said sharply. He couldn't believe what a fool his son was being.
Arthur wrapped his arm around Vivian's shoulder. "I assure you, my feelings for your daughter are as real as they are strong."
"Unhand her, or suffer the consequences," Olaf warned. "Is this really worth risking your life for?"
"Arthur?" Vivian asked, looking up at him hopefully.
"Indeed, it is. I would rather die than deny my feelings. I love your daughter with all my heart," he declared.
And then Lia's heart broke as Arthur kissed Vivian passionately before picking up the glove. Merlin sighed heavily as Arthur accepted the challenge and then he looked over his shoulder and finally noticed Lia. His eyes widened and he stepped closer to her.
"Lia—"
He was cut off by Lia bolting, likely running all the way back to her chambers. He helplessly watched her go and looked back at Arthur. Uther was pulling him off of Vivian to bring him back to his room. Merlin had tried so hard not to make a mess of things, and yet here they were.
Everything was falling apart.
At least an hour had passed before Merlin could return to his chambers. It had taken a long time to get Olaf to calm down even the slightest bit. Uther had ordered for Arthur to be confined to his chambers with guards posted all over — there wouldn't be a repeat of when he climbed out the window to go find Morgause. Merlin was exhausted by the time he returned, but he knew the night wasn't over yet.
He found Lia curled up on her bed softly crying. When she caught sight of Merlin, she used her blanket to wipe them away, though it didn't help as more tears fell. Guilt washed over Merlin as he took in her puffy eyes and splotchy cheeks.
"Lia—"
"D - don't worry about it," she told him, sniffing. "Arthur is allowed to change his mind. I - I told him a while ago that nothing could e - ever happen anyway, so, g - glad he's finally listening."
"Illyria," Merlin said sharply. He quickly joined her on the bed and grabbed her hands. "Lia, he's enchanted."
"Yes, with Lady Vivian," she said, sniffing. "That was made clear as he shoved his tongue down her throat."
"N - no, you don't understand. He's literally enchanted with a love spell, as is Lady Vivian. His feelings for her are not genuine," Merlin explained.
Her eyes searched his face for any indication that he was lying, but found none. "A spell?" she asked, sniffing. The tears began to slow down. "W - who would do that?"
"Trickler and King Alined. Gaius and I suspect they're trying to ruin the peace treaty."
Lia wiped her eyes with her blanket as she continued to calm down. "Well, they're certainly succeeding. Olaf looked ready to kill Arthur right there. So, how are you going to break the spell?"
Merlin cringed and nervously bit his lip. "Er, I don't really know."
"You don't know?" He shook his head. "But Merlin, if he kills Arthur tomorrow, Uther will declare war. If Arthur kills Odin, his kingdom will declare war."
"Trust me, I'm aware," he said, sighing.
Lia nodded and looked down at her hands. "So... Arthur didn't really ask you to get me flowers."
"No," he said after a moment. "They were meant for Vivian, but I misinterpreted it. I'm sorry for all that I've put you through."
She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. He ran a comforting hand through her hair. "Not your fault, Lin. Maybe just don't..."
"Lie to you when your future husband is under a love spell?"
"Don't call him that," she groaned. "But yes."
| | |
The next day, Uther entered Arthur's chambers as Merlin helped the Prince get ready for the challenge. He had been speaking with Olaf all morning trying to calm the king down, but it was useless. Arthur didn't seem at all nervous about the circumstances.
"It's no good. I've spoken to Olaf, he will not rescind the challenge. He says his honor has been tainted. He demands recompense," Uther explained.
Arthur casually leaned against the wall. "You didn't have to do that, Father."
"The fight is to the death," Uther said as if Arthur needed reminding. "What did you think you were doing?"
"You cannot help who you fall in love with."
Uther couldn't believe his ears. "You do realize that your actions threaten the peace talks and that it may yet bring war to Camelot?"
Arthur nodded. "I am happy to fight for what I believe in."
An exasperated sigh left Uther's lips and he turned to face Merlin quickly. "What's happened to him?" Merlin could only shake his head and shrug.
"Lady Vivian," Arthur answered, smiling. "Nothing more. And yet, who could wish for more?"
As Arthur walked off, Uther looked at Merlin once again in disbelief. He threw his hands up in defeat and stormed out of the room, giving up. Uther didn't know what had gotten into his son, and it certainly confused him. Clearly, the King realized, his suspicions about Arthur harboring a childish crush for a certain Court Physician had been wrong. Though Uther knew Lia was a smart girl with a good head on her shoulders. She'd never fall for his son, who as of late was a complete idiot.
In that moment, he would have much preferred his suspicions to be true because, despite all the negative consequences, war was not one of them.
| | |
Merlin had joined Lia and Gaius in the physician chambers. They were packing medical supplies to take to the tournament grounds. With one of them angry and the other under a spell, there would certainly be plenty of wounds to dress in between rounds.
"I don't understand it. Trickler's magic is strong, but surely it can't be stronger than mine?" Merlin asked, leaning against the workbench.
"These love potions are strange things," Gaius told him.
"What if we went to Uther?" Lia suggested. She couldn't think of a better option.
"No," Gaius said.
"It's a fight to the death!" Merlin exclaimed.
"If Uther realizes that one of the kings is using magic, there will certainly be a war," he explained. "The only way out of this situation is to un-enchant Arthur. And un-enchant him fast. Lia, let's go set up."
| | |
Lia stood nervously at Gaius' side as everyone gathered in the stands. Arthur and Olaf stood in the arena with quarterstaffs in their hands. Uther stood to address them and the crowd before the fight began.
"King Olaf has demanded recompense. And by the ancient laws of Camelot, the matter will be settled by a tourney with three stages. The weapons chosen are quarterstaff, mace, and sword. The fight will be by the Knights' Rules, and to the death." He looked pointedly at Arthur, who was too busy smiling at Vivian in the stands. "Are we all clear?"
Arthur nodded with a stupid smile on his face. Uther sighed before signaling for the first match to start. As soon as the time began, Olaf attacked Arthur. He was quick to defend himself and managed to knock Olaf back a few feet. Lia scoffed as Arthur stopped to blow a kiss towards Vivian.
They fought on, and Arthur continued to do well. However, he soon got distracted by Vivian in the stands. As he was admiring her, Olaf quickly attacked the back of Arthur's knees, knocking him to the ground. With him so dazed from the spell, it was not long before Olaf broke Arthur's staff and hit him particularly hard in the ribs.
Lia gasped at the clearly painful wound, though Arthur hardly registered it. As the time ran out, he smiled at Vivian. Merlin quickly entered the arena and escorted him to the healer tent. They would have five minutes to inspect his wounds.
Merlin quickly removed his chainmail so that Lia could examine his side. He sat with a dazed smile on his face as she poked and prodded his bruised skin. Normally, he would be groaning in pain but he couldn't feel it from the spell.
"One of your ribs is broken, Sire," Lia told him.
"Nothing can hurt me today. I'm invincible," he told her. Then he reached up and cupped her face with his hands. "Love really can conquer all, Lia. It's true."
Lia quickly pulled out of his hold and joined Gaius and Merlin feeling sick. Seeing Arthur act that way about another woman made her want to throw up.
"This can't go on," Lia told them. "The fight's not fair. Arthur's head's in the clouds."
"I don't know what to do," Merlin whispered.
"Then find someone who does," Gaius said.
"Kilgharrah," Merlin and Lia both said at the same time.
Lia glanced nervously at Arthur once more before she and Merlin ran from the tournament grounds. Hopefully, he wouldn't die during the second challenge. They ran through the castle and down to the Dragon's Cave. Kilgharrah was already perched on his rock, and Merlin explained everything as quickly as he could, knowing that time was of the essence.
Kilgharrah was quick to laugh at the whole situation just as he had when Uther was enchanted by a Troll. "This is magic indeed."
"Everything I have tried has failed," Merlin said, sighing.
"From what you tell me, the spell has captured his heart," he said.
"And his heart is controlling his brain," Lia said. "Merlin could beat him in a fight at this point."
"There is no magic that can break this enchantment," Kilgharrah said.
"There must be," Merlin pleaded.
"It has too great a hold."
"I cannot let Arthur die!" he shouted.
"Patience, young warlock. The solution lies in a force greater than you or I can understand — a force that has puzzled many minds."
"Please, we have very little time," Merlin said.
Now, it was difficult to read the facial expressions of a dragon, but Lia thought he almost looked amused as his gaze landed on her. "A force—"
"Just tell me!" Merlin yelled impatiently.
Kilgharrah laughed once more. "Why, it is the greatest force of all. Love."
"Love?" Both Lia and Merlin repeated the word.
"You must find the person Arthur truly loves," he instructed.
They all noticed how Merlin glanced at Lia. "Alright, now what?"
Kilgharrah chuckled once more as he watched Lia, whose cheeks heated up at his words. "One kiss from her will break the enchantment, and he will desire Vivian no more."
Merlin nodded in understanding before taking Lia's hand. He dragged her from the cave before she could protest. "Get ready to pucker up, Princess."
Lia didn't say much until they neared the tournament grounds. The second challenge was going on, and when she heard the crowd gasping in the distance, Lia froze. Merlin turned to face her with a frown.
"Lia, come on."
"Merlin, what if it doesn't work?" she asked, beginning to worry. "Not only would it be a rather unfortunate way for a girl to find out a boy doesn't love her, but Arthur will surely be killed."
Merlin sighed before putting his hands on her shoulder. "Illyria Lytar, you are the love of Arthur's life. Anyone who spends five minutes with you can see how you feel about each other."
"And what if that's not true?" she asked in a quiet voice. Lia couldn't take the heartbreak that would come with learning that Arthur did not love her.
"Search your heart and trust your feelings. You know who he loves."
Arthur had only survived being killed by Olaf's mace because the time ran out. He was in even worse condition as he was taken to the medical tent. Once again, he was blissfully unaware of the injuries he had sustained as Gaius looked over him. Then after a moment, Gaius stepped outside to search for Merlin.
Lia strode purposefully past him, only nodding to Gaius to let him know that everything would be alright. Probably. She took a deep breath before entering the tent. Arthur was fixing his shirt and glanced at her expectantly.
"Ah, back to wish me good luck? Cause I really don't think I need it anymore," he said cockily.
"No, Arthur. I have not come to wish you luck," she said, rolling her eyes. She couldn't wait for his attitude to return to normal.
Arthur scoffed at her response. "Well, honestly, that's rather rude," he muttered.
"Then let me make amends."
Lia took one more deep breath before approaching Arthur. She took him by the shoulders and pinned him against the tent pole. He was alarmed, but she didn't care as she stood on her toes and kissed him. For a moment, he did not move, confused by all that was happening. And then Arthur — the regular Arthur — realized whose hands were on his chest and whose oh-so-soft lips were pressed to his.
His eyes closed and he kissed her back. Arthur wrapped his arms around her as he dipped her low. Lia savored the feeling of his lips for a moment longer than necessary before slowly pulling back. Arthur's eyes were blown wide as he looked down at her, pulling her closer by the waist.
And then the pain hit him. He cringed and groaned as Lia helped keep him standing. He looked around the tent with no memory of how he got there.
"What am I doing?" he asked, suddenly winded.
"You're in a fight. To the death. You're losing," Lia summarized. She left out the magic bit of the story.
Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing, but clearly, his injuries proved her words. "But—"
"There's no time to explain," Lia whispered, brushing her thumb across his cheek. His eyes fluttered shut at her touch. "Just... live for me, Arthur. That's all I ask right now."
Lia was soon joined by Merlin, and the two of them helped Arthur into his armor. She cast one last worried look at Arthur before they headed to the arena and she went to the stands. The crowd was cheering as Arthur stood at the entrance. His gaze fell on Olaf's back, who already had his helmet on. Then he saw Lia, who appeared in the stands and took a seat next to Gwen.
"Merlin," Arthur said, reaching for his sword. "If anything should happen to me, look after Lia, though I know you already do. The world may think she is just a physician — replaceable — but she is not replaceable to me."
Merlin smiled happily as Arthur finally admitted his feelings to him. Then he handed him his helmet. Arthur was in great pain as he approached Olaf. The final challenge began with Olaf fighting just as aggressively as he had in the first two. Of course, Arthur still wasn't sure as to why, but Olaf was out for his blood.
Arthur was greatly hindered by his injuries. Each hit he blocked from Olaf was immensely difficult. At one point, he thought he might give in to the pain and fall over but he caught sight of Lia, who did her best to smile hopefully at him. He remembered her words. He would live for her.
He pushed past the pain and attacked Olaf. With a new surge of energy, he finally began to get the upper hand in the fight. It ended with him knocking Olaf onto his back and him standing over his body with his sword raised to strike. After a moment, he lowered his weapon and stepped back tiredly. He didn't even know why he was fighting Olaf, so he certainly couldn't kill him for that reason.
"This is no way to achieve peace!" he called for everyone to hear.
Uther smiled happily at Arthur as he offered a hand to help Olaf up. The crowd cheered at the honorable forfeit. Olaf and Arthur nodded to each other, clapping the other on the shoulder. And then Arthur found Lia in the crowd who was smiling softly at him.
| | |
The next day, all the kings were set to depart from Camelot and return to their respective kingdoms. Thankfully, they would be parting from Olaf on good terms after Arthur's change of heart during the duel. Alined had been angry all day, which did not go unnoticed by Uther and Arthur, who watched as he yelled at Trickler.
"Why so cross Alined?" Uther asked, his arms crossed.
"Anyone would think you didn't want peace," Arthur noted.
"But of course I do," he said, with a forced smile. "Peace? Love it."
Uther smiled at him and nodded, though he didn't believe him for a moment. "Well, you may return any time to view the treaty."
"You're very kind," Alined said. Then he nudged his horse to walk. Trickler was dragged along behind him, forced to walk the entire way back to Deorham.
Then Vivian crossed the courtyard escorted by her father. She had tears in her eyes as she looked back at Arthur. "We may return, too?" she asked hopefully.
Uther sighed but nodded, glancing nervously at Arthur. "You're always welcome."
"My heart will remain, and I hope to join it soon," Vivian told Arthur. He awkwardly waved goodbye while trying his hardest to not make eye contact with her.
"Not too soon," he muttered, turning to leave the courtyard.
Merlin grinned and followed after him. "No. Might conflict with your one true love."
"My what?" he asked, frowning.
"You heard me. I have proof," Merlin said smugly.
"Proof?"
"You kissed her. In the tent."
"Merlin," he stated.
"Yes?"
"What happened in the tent—"
"Mm-hmm?"
Arthur stopped on the stairs and turned to glare at Merlin. "Speak of it again and I'll kill you."
Merlin still did not lose his smug smirk. "Okay."
| | |
Lia was surprised to find a single pink buttercup laying on her bed when she arrived in her chambers. There was a note laying next to it, which simply read "I am deeply sorry." Lia picked them up, knowing that it wasn't Merlin's messy handwriting this time. She hadn't noticed Arthur, who was silently waiting for her in the corner.
"I thought I'd better deliver it myself this time." Lia turned to face him and bit her lip as he walked closer. "I'm sorry... for what I put you through."
Lia quickly shook her head, knowing that he was not really at fault. "No. You have nothing to apologize for. I suppose I, too, have caused my fair share of hurt."
"You must believe that my feelings for...Vivian—" Lia almost smiled at how difficult it was for him to even speak her name. "—were not real. I have never loved another."
Lia quickly looked away as he admitted his feelings. It was one thing to learn about them because of a magical kiss and a complete other to have him say it to her face. "One day you will. One day you will find your real princess. One day you will be King of Camelot. And I cannot be your—"
"No," Arthur interrupted. He took the two large steps needed until he was right in front of her. He placed his hands on her cheeks and forced her to look up at him — to see the love in his eyes. "I am in love with you, Lia. I have been for some time now. I cannot go another day where you are not mine."
"Arthur, your father," she said weakly. "He'd never—"
"I don't care," he said. He began to softly brush his thumb against her cheek, and Lia leaned into his touch. "We can be careful. And if he were to find out then... then I would give up everything to be with you."
Lia's eyes widened at what he meant. He certainly couldn't mean he'd give up his claim to the throne. Not for her. Arthur saw the disbelief in her eyes.
"I love you, Lia," he said, no doubt to be found in his tone. "That is the one thing I know for certain. That, and that Merlin is an idiot. You are my entire world. Please tell me that I am not making a fool of myself."
Tears welled in Lia's eyes as she nodded. She reached up to cover his hands with her. "Yes. I love you too, Arthur."
Lia could only admire the handsome grin on his face for a second before he was kissing her. She melted into him, feeling at home in his arms. His lips continued to passionately devour hers as he backed her into the wall. A soft hum of delight left her lips as his hands slid down her waist. The whimper that escaped her lips as he pulled away sent chills down Arthur's back.
They were still catching their breath from the kiss that had lasted much longer than their others. Lia's fingers were tangled gently in Arthur's hair as his nose brushed against her jaw. A soft, content sigh left her lips as he placed a gentle kiss on her neck.
"As long as I shall live," he whispered in her ear, "you will be the only one I ever love."