"Can I borrow this?" Merlin asked.
"Ofcourse you can." Morgan replied. "It was given to me when we went to the fields. It was too tight for me. You know what...you keep it."
"Are you sure?"
"Ofcourse. I have countless dresses and gowns."
Merlin looked the dress. "Thank you."
"You're welcome.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled.
"I gotta go." Merlin said and went out. "Thanks again!"
Before going to Arthur however Merlin teleported to her chamber in Gaius' chambers and kept her dress on her bed before teleporting back to the castle. Gaius came in the room hearing some footsteps in the chamber.
"Merlin." Gaius sighed when he saw that there wasn't anyone inside but he knew what happened.
In the meantime, Merlin knocked on Arthur's door and he did open the door after some time.
"Prepare my bath." He instructed.
Merlin removed her brown jacket and began to fill buckets of water in the tub while Arthur changed. She had finished pouring four buckets when Arthur said,
"Make sure it's warm enough."
Merlin didn't have any patience to go to the kitchen, warm the water, bring all the buckets back up again and Arthur will be even more inpatient so she cast a spell which other than making her eyes turn golden, made the water warm aswell.
As Merlin kept the empty buckets aside and prepared to go out to help Gwen, Arthur came out and put one foot in the water but screamed in pain and pulled it out.
"Owww! You bumpkin it's boiling!" He yelled.
"Boiling?" Merlin asked. She took one look at the water and realised that it was actually boiling. Arthur had to wait atleast for five minutes before jumping in. "Do you want more cold?"
"No it's fine. Go do the preperations. Many more guests other than Lady Vivienne will be attending."
Merlin left the chamber and went to the ballroom where she found even more flowers waiting to be kept in places. Gwen was with other servants and doing the work.
"Merlin, could you tie the flowers there?" Gwen asked.
"Sure thing." Merlin answered and got to work with everything and in some time she had finished tieing all the flowers tightly to their places. Morgan came in the ballroom to inspect the decorations as ordered by her father and to her it was perfect.
Meanwhile, Uther was getting even more afraid of what may happen in the future. He didn't want his son to marry the queen of dragons but he can't change destiny and he didn't even know who that girl was. He thought of a idea, he would fix Arthur's marriage with Lady Vivienne and the person who tries to stop the marriage would know who that girl is and he can kill her.
He would kill two birds with one stone; get Arthur to marry Lady Vivienne and get rid of the queen of dragons. He wouldn't tell this plan to anyone and execute it alone. He sent the word to the kingdom Lady Vivienne is from and requested her family to be present there as well. The only other thing left was to make Arthur agree. Vivienne was already in love with him but Arthur didn't like her one bit.
Uther sent for Arthur and the latter came in his father's study. Seeing his father sitting on the chair and his expression made Arthur realise that he would tell him something big.
"Yes father." Arthur said.
"How do you feel about Lady Vivienne?" Uther asked straight forward.
"No offence, she's power hungry."
"What do you mean?"
"Father, you told me to visit their kingdom and when I went there I wasn't pleased with the way she behaves."
"Let me tell you this straight. You're marrying Lady Vivienne."
"What!? Father, please, I don't like her."
"That doesn't change the fact."
"But father-"
"Do you dare to disobey the king's orders?"
"I'm not talking to the king. I'm talking to my father."
Uther's stone heart somehow changed slightly, very slightly, after listening to this.
"Than who is it that you want to marry?"
"I want to marry a person who will love me for who I am and not for the throne. Someone who understands me and is willing to accept me with all my mistakes. A person who won't hesitate to lay her life down for me. Support me and never leave my side."
"It's quite a task to find someone like that."
"I believe that that person is already there near me. All I have to do is wait for the time she comes infront of me."
"And when I that?"
"I hope very soon."
There was a knock on the door. Uther allowed the person to enter and it was Merlin who came in.
"My king, there's someone waiting to meet you in the court." She stated.
"And are the preparations?"
"Ready, sire."
Uther went out and Merlin also left leaving Arthur alone in the chamber and he too left after a while.
In the late evening all the guests started to come to the ballroom. Men and women in their finest clothing from and other kingdoms had come to the grand event. They all took their places while Gwen, Merlin and few other servants dressed in their dresses helped serve the people.
Merlin wore the blue dress Morgan gave her, Gwen wore her yellow dress while the others wore brown.
Gaius came in and took his place and signalled Merlin to come to him as she was passing. Merlin walked across the crowds of people and went to her uncle, who to not appear suspicious began to drink from the glass infront of him.
"What's the matter?" Merlin asked.
"Uther wants to get Arthur married to Lady Vivienne." Gaius whispered.
"So?"
"I-"
"Welcome one and all!" The announcer greeted all the invites. Noticing Gwen calling her, Merlin went there and told Gaius that she'll meet him later.
Merlin passed the crowd again to stand next to Gwen holding the tray of glasses meant for the royal families attending the event. Uther, dressed in dark purple and black, entered with his children and knights but Arthur, in his favourite red attire was looking off. He knew his father would make the announcement of his marriage with Lady Vivienne against his will.
Morgan, in her light purple and pink gown, knew her brother's mind and hoped that their father doesn't attempt to make the move but to the siblings dismay, Uther made the move.
"People of Camelot and all other places....I declared my son, Prince Arthur Pendragon's marriage to Lady Vivienne!"
The whole ballroom was filled with clapps and Lady Vivienne looked very happy but Arthur was furious and wanted to run out of the room but his father would not like it. Gaius stood defeated in the crowd. He thought that nothing could change destiny but Uther changed it. Merlin wondered why was she feeling sad, she shouldn't be bothered about it but she knew the feeling of things happening against the person's will. It hurts.
Gwen felt bad for Arthur as did his knights. All knew this marriage was happening against his will. Nothing can change it now. Arthur also began to lose hope in destiny, he thought that now he will have to marry Lady Vivienne.
Suddenly a voice yelled from the crowd. Amidst the crowd stood a old looking woman holding a staff in her hand looking furiously at the king as the crowds parted after hearing her yell.
"You can't change destiny Uther Pendragon!" She screamed. "This is not who he is destined to marry!"
"Who's this?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know." Lancelot replied.
Arthur and his knights stood together at Uther's right while Morgan, Gwen and Merlin to his left.
"Than who is it?" Uther asked the lady.
"I'm not told to reveal that but you will be severely punished for knowing and yet trying to change."
The crowds gasped and Vivienne was growing furious.
"How dare you threaten the king."
"I say to you all! The crown of the queen of Camelot shall only fit the head of the one destined to be queen! Wife of Arthur Pendragon."
A flash of orange light emitted from her staff and made its way to the room where the crown was kept, whose last user was Queen Igraine. Everyone left the room and followed the light which rested on the crown, making all the coloured gemstones embedded on it transform into sapphires and aqua marine gemstones.
Everyone gasped as they saw the crown glowing in its glass case. They all looked at eachother and tried to understand who the future queen would be. Arthur was internally happy that he doesn't have to marry Lady Vivienne anymore but he was still wondering who the girl is.
What all of them didn't notice was that Lady Vivienne, furious by the fact that she won't be marrying Arthur went in the ballroom and poisoned the drink meant for Arthur.
"If you aren't mine than you're no one's." She said as she made the move. Merlin saw her doing it but before she could do anything everyone else came back in and began to resume their seats. Arthur picked up his glass as Vivienne began to smile.
"Don't drink that!" Merlin took the glass from Arthur and looked at Vivienne. "It poison."
"Are you blaming me?" Vivienne asked her.
"You know it."
"By what authority do you place your accusation?" Uther asked Merlin.
"I've seen her." Merlin replied.
By this point everyone has their eyes glued to them. Gaius left the crowd and moved towards Arthur and the others.
"Than prove it." Uther replied. "You drink it."
Everyone was shocked.
"But if it is poisoned she'll die." Arthur objected.
"And what is she lives?" Vivienne questioned.
"Than you will have my apology and marry my son regardless of the destiny."
"Uther please she's just a girl she doesn't know what she's saying." Gaius stated.
"Than you should have schooled her better." Uther replied.
"Merlin, apologies, this is a mistake. I'll drink it." Arthur said and tried to take the glass away from her but she didn't allow him to do so.
"No no no no no it's alright." Merlin replied and glared at Vivienne, who smirked. She turned to Gaius and the others and despite knowing the consequences of drinking from the chalice, she began to drink. Gwen moved forward to try and stop her but she had already finished.
"It's fine." She said in a compressed voice. Everyone sighed in relief but suddenly Merlin began to pant and blood began to drop out of her nose. She held her head as she got dizzy and as everyone watched her she fainted and fell to the ground and the chalice dropped from her hands.
Arthur reached her side the first followed by Gaius, Gwen and Morgan while the knights surrounded Vivienne.
"Merlin!" Arthur called out but she didn't respond. Gaius sat down next to him and touched her forehead.
"Merlin can you hear me?" Gaius asked but Merlin only panted. "We have to take her back to my chambers."
Arthur put her arm around his shoulder and lifted her feet from under her knees and supported by his other hand around her waist and took her out of there. Gaius instructed Gwen to get the chalice to identify to poison while Morgan also went with them.
"We have to hurry, she's struggling to breathe." Gaius said.
Gaius' chambers were not far from here but Arthur didn't want to waste any time. He saw his horse laying down but awake.