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chaletianTitle: Brave New World, 2/3
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chaletian
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up to Beauty & the Beast pt 2.
Summary: In another lifetime, it may be that in Uther Pendragon’s enchantment by the troll, the Great Dragon saw destiny’s chance to unfold, and denied any knowledge about breaking the spell. AU for Beauty & the Beast. Uther Pendragon wakes up, and everything has changed. Part One.
Gaius attended to him, and Uther was grateful for the familiarity of his old advisor, even if ‘old’ was an epithet only too appropriate: Gaius had withered and shrunk in the past four years, all wrinkles and hair like dandelion clocks. But his eyes were as bright as ever, and his voice as confident. He helped Uther shave, and find clothes more appropriate to his position and then, as Uther sat resplendent at his table, produced his crown.
“How has Camelot been?” asked Uther, rubbing gold and jewels with his thumb.
“Arthur has been a good regent,” said Gaius. “You would be proud of him.”
Uther laughed brusquely. “I imagine so. As it is, I haven’t the faintest idea about anything. Have there been any attacks? Any attempts at uprising? In my absence, Camelot must have appeared vulnerable…”
“Arthur will make sure you are aware of anything you need to be,” said Gaius, and left. Uther sat and watched the door swing close. Aware of anything he needed to be. Uther’s face darkened, and he slammed his open hand on the table. Not good enough! Camelot was his kingdom! He didn’t need to know whatever Arthur deemed necessary, he needed to know everything. He strode to the door and flung it open, and spied a familiar figure at the end of the corridor.
“You! Boy!” he called, and the boy Merlin halted in his tracks and stared at him, wide-eyed, coming closer as Uther gestured irritably.
“Where’s Prince Arthur?” he demanded.
“Um,” said the boy – and even he, Uther noticed, looked older and, for that matter, quite a lot better dressed – “should you be,” he waved a vague hand, “up?”
“Do you dare to question your king?” Uther shouted, amazed at such temerity in a servant, and noticed, satisfied, as Merlin’s adam’s apple bobbed nervously.
“No! No, definitely not. No questioning. Wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled engagingly, but Uther was in no mood to be engaged.
“Where. Is. Arthur?” he said, teeth gritting. “Idiot as you are, surely you can manage to answer that, unless you want to find yourself in the stocks again?”
Merlin looked discomfited by that, and glanced quickly at the two guards standing by the King’s chambers. A quick glance told Uther that they, too, were discomfited, and he wondered what Arthur had done that the punishing of ignorant, lazy servants was viewed as something unusual.
“Take me to him,” he said, and Merlin nodded instinctively.
“Of course. I mean, well, I’m actually in the middle of… you know what, it doesn’t matter. If you’ll come with me, your Majesty.”
oOo
Arthur paces up and down his chamber, while Gaius, Merlin and Leon sit at the table.
“And there’s been no sighting of the troll?” he asks.
“We’ve been scouring the countryside for the past two days,” says Leon. “Nothing. Not a sign of the troll, or Jonas.”
Arthur turns to Gaius, but the physician is already shaking his head. “I have no solution, sire, apart from the creature’s death.”
Arthur nods. “And my father?”
“Restrained, for the time being, I’m afraid.” Gaius sighed. “He is senseless in his trust of ‘Lady Catrina’ and sees us as the grossest traitors to Camelot.”
“I’m sure he’ll come around when we kill the troll,” says Merlin brightly, and Arthur rolls his eyes.
“Well, that is the plan, Merlin,” he says. “I just… I wish it hadn’t come to this.”
“You couldn’t have done anything else,” says Merlin, and Gaius and Leon nod.
“Merlin’s right,” says Gaius. “Leaving Uther in power as king with the troll controlling him was untenable.”
There’s a tap at the door, and Merlin jumps up to open it. Gwen steps in, a little hesitantly.
“Guinevere,” says Arthur, with something like a smile. “Did Gerald and his family get home safely?”
Gwen nods. “I saw them there myself. They’re all right, well... they’re a bit scared. No-one’s really sure what’s happening. After the taxes and the arrests and now – nothing, except guards coming and going night and day.”
“Should we tell them the truth?” asks Leon. They look at each other, no-one quite sure what they should do. They’re all so young, thinks Gaius.
“We’ll tell them the King is taken ill, poisoned by Lady Catrina’s imposter,” says Arthur eventually. “He- he’s not going to change overnight, is he?” he asks, and Gaius shakes his head. “Very well. I will make the announcement tomorrow morning.” He’s confident, but his eyes are not, and Gwen steps forward involuntarily.
“We will all support you,” she says seriously, and Arthur meets her gaze.
“I know,” he says.
oOo
“Ar- Prince Arthur’s down in the town,” said the boy cheerfully. (He wasn’t a boy any more, and in a corner of his mind Uther recognised that fact, but he wasn’t ready to let go of what his reality had been, and so Merlin could remain a boy for as long as Uther decided.) “We had a couple of bad storms, and some of the homes to the south of the castle were damaged. They’re just looking at rebuilding a roof or two.”
The morning sun had disappeared into the afternoon, and it was colder now. Uther stalked through the lower town. A child, in a patched smock, watched him curiously. “Who’s the man?” she asked, but her mother hushed her, and pulled her back into a doorway. He was watched with caution, and Uther expected that, but he would have thought his people would be happier at his recovery. He tried a benevolent smile, but that didn’t seem to improve things, and he did not pander to the people.
They reached the lower parts of the town, and Uther could see Arthur with a couple of knights, and a mason and thatcher he recognised. Morgana was there, and he smiled automatically at the sight of her, profile as beautiful as ever, wrapped in a dark velvet cloak, her maid similarly clad beside her.
“There’s Merlin!” called one of the knights. “Maybe he…” He broke off, dismayed, as he recognised Uther, and a silence fell across the group for a moment.
“Father!” exclaimed Arthur. “What are y…” He stopped prudently. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. We’re just looking over some repairs.”
“Well, surely they don’t need you here as well?” said Uther. “I want to talk to you.”
Arthur stared at him for a moment, then inclined his head. “Very well.” There was a second of discomfort, then Morgana stepped forward.
“Sire,” she said, and Uther smiled and reached out to hug her.
“Morgana! It’s so wonderful to see you looking so well!”
“And you as well,” said Morgana. “I can’t tell you how worried we’ve all been for you. Will you escort me back to the castle, and I can tell you all the gossip while Arthur finishes here.”
“Of course, my dear,” said Uther, and would have done so had not there been a commotion at the gates, and a rider galloped up towards them, missing Uther by a hair’s breadth.
“My lord!” said the rider breathlessly, tumbling off the horse. “News from Leopold!”
The change in Arthur was electric, and he started forward, bristling with tension. “What news?” he demanded.
“The Franks have been sighted off the southern coast. Tis thought it’s maybe an invasion.”
“Damn them!” said Arthur vehemently. “I thought we had made our position clear!”
“They don’t think we’ll do it,” said Merlin. “They don’t think you can do it.”
Arthur’s face was grim. “Well, they’d be wrong, wouldn’t they? I told Louis I would unite all of England if that was what it took, and that’s what I’ll damned well do!”
“You should assemble everyone,” said the maid, and Uther stared at her in amazement. “I’ll finish this.”
“Send riders out to the others,” Sir Leon told the messenger, “then join us in the hall.”
“Aye, sir,” nodded the rider, and led his horse towards the stables.
“We should…” started Merlin, which was the last straw.
“ENOUGH!” shouted Uther. “I demand that someone tell me what’s happening immediately!” For a second, for the briefest moment, it seemed like everything would slide back into its usual place, and Uther would be in control again. But the moment passed.
“I’m sorry, Father,” said Arthur, already hurrying towards the castle. “There isn’t time. Join us in the hall, if you like. Gawain, gather the others.”
Uther was left, deserted, in the middle of the town, with the mason and the thatcher and the townspeople deliberately not looking at him. Morgana and her maid watched him, and he wished he could say their gaze was sympathetic, but he wasn’t sure it was. The maid raised an eyebrow at Morgana, and his ward took his arm.
“Come, your Highness,” she said. “Arthur can tell you about it up at the castle.”
They made their way along the street, silently at first, until Uther spoke again. “Your maid is very insolent these days,” he commented.
Morgana made no effort to hide a smile. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, isn’t she? I don’t know who she thinks she is.”
Part Three
Author:
chaletianFandom: Merlin
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up to Beauty & the Beast pt 2.
Summary: In another lifetime, it may be that in Uther Pendragon’s enchantment by the troll, the Great Dragon saw destiny’s chance to unfold, and denied any knowledge about breaking the spell. AU for Beauty & the Beast. Uther Pendragon wakes up, and everything has changed. Part One.
Gaius attended to him, and Uther was grateful for the familiarity of his old advisor, even if ‘old’ was an epithet only too appropriate: Gaius had withered and shrunk in the past four years, all wrinkles and hair like dandelion clocks. But his eyes were as bright as ever, and his voice as confident. He helped Uther shave, and find clothes more appropriate to his position and then, as Uther sat resplendent at his table, produced his crown.
“How has Camelot been?” asked Uther, rubbing gold and jewels with his thumb.
“Arthur has been a good regent,” said Gaius. “You would be proud of him.”
Uther laughed brusquely. “I imagine so. As it is, I haven’t the faintest idea about anything. Have there been any attacks? Any attempts at uprising? In my absence, Camelot must have appeared vulnerable…”
“Arthur will make sure you are aware of anything you need to be,” said Gaius, and left. Uther sat and watched the door swing close. Aware of anything he needed to be. Uther’s face darkened, and he slammed his open hand on the table. Not good enough! Camelot was his kingdom! He didn’t need to know whatever Arthur deemed necessary, he needed to know everything. He strode to the door and flung it open, and spied a familiar figure at the end of the corridor.
“You! Boy!” he called, and the boy Merlin halted in his tracks and stared at him, wide-eyed, coming closer as Uther gestured irritably.
“Where’s Prince Arthur?” he demanded.
“Um,” said the boy – and even he, Uther noticed, looked older and, for that matter, quite a lot better dressed – “should you be,” he waved a vague hand, “up?”
“Do you dare to question your king?” Uther shouted, amazed at such temerity in a servant, and noticed, satisfied, as Merlin’s adam’s apple bobbed nervously.
“No! No, definitely not. No questioning. Wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled engagingly, but Uther was in no mood to be engaged.
“Where. Is. Arthur?” he said, teeth gritting. “Idiot as you are, surely you can manage to answer that, unless you want to find yourself in the stocks again?”
Merlin looked discomfited by that, and glanced quickly at the two guards standing by the King’s chambers. A quick glance told Uther that they, too, were discomfited, and he wondered what Arthur had done that the punishing of ignorant, lazy servants was viewed as something unusual.
“Take me to him,” he said, and Merlin nodded instinctively.
“Of course. I mean, well, I’m actually in the middle of… you know what, it doesn’t matter. If you’ll come with me, your Majesty.”
Arthur paces up and down his chamber, while Gaius, Merlin and Leon sit at the table.
“And there’s been no sighting of the troll?” he asks.
“We’ve been scouring the countryside for the past two days,” says Leon. “Nothing. Not a sign of the troll, or Jonas.”
Arthur turns to Gaius, but the physician is already shaking his head. “I have no solution, sire, apart from the creature’s death.”
Arthur nods. “And my father?”
“Restrained, for the time being, I’m afraid.” Gaius sighed. “He is senseless in his trust of ‘Lady Catrina’ and sees us as the grossest traitors to Camelot.”
“I’m sure he’ll come around when we kill the troll,” says Merlin brightly, and Arthur rolls his eyes.
“Well, that is the plan, Merlin,” he says. “I just… I wish it hadn’t come to this.”
“You couldn’t have done anything else,” says Merlin, and Gaius and Leon nod.
“Merlin’s right,” says Gaius. “Leaving Uther in power as king with the troll controlling him was untenable.”
There’s a tap at the door, and Merlin jumps up to open it. Gwen steps in, a little hesitantly.
“Guinevere,” says Arthur, with something like a smile. “Did Gerald and his family get home safely?”
Gwen nods. “I saw them there myself. They’re all right, well... they’re a bit scared. No-one’s really sure what’s happening. After the taxes and the arrests and now – nothing, except guards coming and going night and day.”
“Should we tell them the truth?” asks Leon. They look at each other, no-one quite sure what they should do. They’re all so young, thinks Gaius.
“We’ll tell them the King is taken ill, poisoned by Lady Catrina’s imposter,” says Arthur eventually. “He- he’s not going to change overnight, is he?” he asks, and Gaius shakes his head. “Very well. I will make the announcement tomorrow morning.” He’s confident, but his eyes are not, and Gwen steps forward involuntarily.
“We will all support you,” she says seriously, and Arthur meets her gaze.
“I know,” he says.
“Ar- Prince Arthur’s down in the town,” said the boy cheerfully. (He wasn’t a boy any more, and in a corner of his mind Uther recognised that fact, but he wasn’t ready to let go of what his reality had been, and so Merlin could remain a boy for as long as Uther decided.) “We had a couple of bad storms, and some of the homes to the south of the castle were damaged. They’re just looking at rebuilding a roof or two.”
The morning sun had disappeared into the afternoon, and it was colder now. Uther stalked through the lower town. A child, in a patched smock, watched him curiously. “Who’s the man?” she asked, but her mother hushed her, and pulled her back into a doorway. He was watched with caution, and Uther expected that, but he would have thought his people would be happier at his recovery. He tried a benevolent smile, but that didn’t seem to improve things, and he did not pander to the people.
They reached the lower parts of the town, and Uther could see Arthur with a couple of knights, and a mason and thatcher he recognised. Morgana was there, and he smiled automatically at the sight of her, profile as beautiful as ever, wrapped in a dark velvet cloak, her maid similarly clad beside her.
“There’s Merlin!” called one of the knights. “Maybe he…” He broke off, dismayed, as he recognised Uther, and a silence fell across the group for a moment.
“Father!” exclaimed Arthur. “What are y…” He stopped prudently. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. We’re just looking over some repairs.”
“Well, surely they don’t need you here as well?” said Uther. “I want to talk to you.”
Arthur stared at him for a moment, then inclined his head. “Very well.” There was a second of discomfort, then Morgana stepped forward.
“Sire,” she said, and Uther smiled and reached out to hug her.
“Morgana! It’s so wonderful to see you looking so well!”
“And you as well,” said Morgana. “I can’t tell you how worried we’ve all been for you. Will you escort me back to the castle, and I can tell you all the gossip while Arthur finishes here.”
“Of course, my dear,” said Uther, and would have done so had not there been a commotion at the gates, and a rider galloped up towards them, missing Uther by a hair’s breadth.
“My lord!” said the rider breathlessly, tumbling off the horse. “News from Leopold!”
The change in Arthur was electric, and he started forward, bristling with tension. “What news?” he demanded.
“The Franks have been sighted off the southern coast. Tis thought it’s maybe an invasion.”
“Damn them!” said Arthur vehemently. “I thought we had made our position clear!”
“They don’t think we’ll do it,” said Merlin. “They don’t think you can do it.”
Arthur’s face was grim. “Well, they’d be wrong, wouldn’t they? I told Louis I would unite all of England if that was what it took, and that’s what I’ll damned well do!”
“You should assemble everyone,” said the maid, and Uther stared at her in amazement. “I’ll finish this.”
“Send riders out to the others,” Sir Leon told the messenger, “then join us in the hall.”
“Aye, sir,” nodded the rider, and led his horse towards the stables.
“We should…” started Merlin, which was the last straw.
“ENOUGH!” shouted Uther. “I demand that someone tell me what’s happening immediately!” For a second, for the briefest moment, it seemed like everything would slide back into its usual place, and Uther would be in control again. But the moment passed.
“I’m sorry, Father,” said Arthur, already hurrying towards the castle. “There isn’t time. Join us in the hall, if you like. Gawain, gather the others.”
Uther was left, deserted, in the middle of the town, with the mason and the thatcher and the townspeople deliberately not looking at him. Morgana and her maid watched him, and he wished he could say their gaze was sympathetic, but he wasn’t sure it was. The maid raised an eyebrow at Morgana, and his ward took his arm.
“Come, your Highness,” she said. “Arthur can tell you about it up at the castle.”
They made their way along the street, silently at first, until Uther spoke again. “Your maid is very insolent these days,” he commented.
Morgana made no effort to hide a smile. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, isn’t she? I don’t know who she thinks she is.”
Part Three
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 04:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 04:39 pm (UTC)Can't wait till somebody tells Uther. I'm sure he'll take it very well ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 04:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 05:20 pm (UTC)Very intersting! Looking to see what comes next!
no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 07:28 pm (UTC)In any case, waiting eagerly for part 3! ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 07:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 08:38 pm (UTC)Merlin babbling on and still afraid of him
Morgana teasing
And now, a war!
no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 10:26 pm (UTC)Really enjoying it.
Date: 2009-11-05 05:53 am (UTC)There’s Merlin!” called one of the knights. “Maybe he…” He broke off, dismayed, as he recognised Uther, and a silence fell across the group for a moment.
Nice to see everyone's so openly accepting magic, I too would use magic to not have to do tedious work. LOL.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-05 08:19 am (UTC)