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(Gwen's POV)
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Scurrying down the hallway, arms laden down with my lady’s breakfast, I felt my cheeks burning a brilliant shade of red as the whispers from the passing servants surrounded me. It had only been 5 days since I was released from the dungeons and all charges dropped. Yet even though my innocence had been confirmed quite a few of my once friends were terrified to even go near me. One girl had even burst into tears when she accidentally dropped a pitcher of water on me. She was convinced I was going to turn her into a toad for it.
Not to mention the guards. More than once I have noticed them following me. Watching me from around corners. Regarding me with suspicion as if I was going to suddenly turn around and hex everyone. With this kind of bad rep, I might as well be a sorceress. For a while there I was convinced, I would lose my job. As even Uther has been wary around me. Its only thanks to a raging Morgana that my job wasn’t taken from me. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if my innocence had been proven after I had been executed. At least than I wouldn't have to put up with all this bad blood.
Sighing sadly, I carefully push open the door leading to my lady chambers. Closing it carefully behind me as I set down her tray of food and go to open the curtains.
"Good morning my lady. It’s a beautiful day today. Are you ready for breakfast? " I softly greet trying not to startle her as the sunlight gently coaxes her to wakefulness. Yawning and blinking blearily around her she smiles as her gaze finally settles on me. Pushing herself into a sitting position as I go about my cleaning, laying out her favorite sapphire dress for her to wear.
"Gwen how are you?" She cheerfully greets climbing out of bed and moving behind her screen to change.
"I'm alright my lady." I answer deciding not to mention the guard that had purposefully tripped me pushing my face into the cement with his boot. Splitting my lip and giving me a black eye on my way up. Causing me to have to get a replacement tray from a very unimpressed cook. I winced just thinking about it. Unconsciously rubbing my wrists where the cook's punishment stick slapped me for dropping her food. She thankfully was in a good mood otherwise that stick would have been a whip on my back end.
"Bullocks. I know for a fact that's not true. I have seen how the other servants still treat you." She stated stepping out from behind her screen and sitting down at her table to eat. Moving behind her with a brush I gently began combing out her tangles and braiding her midnight black hair.
"It’s really not that bad. Nothing I can't handle." She turned at that pausing my brushing as she looked me over more carefully.
"Oh, and I suppose that split lip and black eye is nothing than?" She gently cradled my face her her left hand. Tenderly running her thumb across my throbbing lip. Causing it to begin bleeding a little. She had such a sad look on her face that I found myself turning away for fear that I might start crying. I could already feel the tears beginning to well up in my eyes. Quickly wiping my sleeve across my eye. I erased any trace of tears. Not wanting to give her any reason to worry. I had done enough of that already.
"It’s nothing my lady. I... I just tripped is all." I stammered glancing cautiously back at her. By her raised eyebrow I could tell she really didn't believe me, but she thankfully dropped the subject.
"You know what. Clear my schedule for the day. I feel like a girls night." She declared leaping up from her chair and heading for her closet and pulling out a purple cloak.
"A girls night my lady?"
"Yes Gwen, and we will get Merlin involved as well. Though we will probably have to kidnap her to convince her to come. That girl works way too hard for someone that’s only 16." She hummed thoughtfully.
"But my lady your supposed to be going for a ride with the king today."
"Cancel it than. He should have thought of that before trying to fire you behind my back yesterday. I swear if Merlin hadn't come to me when she did I would no doubt have some bootlicker right about now." She huffed marching from the room with me on her heels.
"But my lady..."
"Oh, come now Gwen, you can't tell me you haven't been wanting to get out of the castle the past few days too?" I bit my lip at that. I have been dying to escape and get away from all these bullies. Maybe a girls night wouldn't be so bad. I could see the moment Morgana realized she had me. For her smile grew 10 times in a matter of seconds.
"Excellent. Now let’s go kidnap us a Merlin."
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"So, tell me again why you dragged me out here when I should be serving the prat?" I could only shrug as I smiled softly at my friend.
"Morgana decided we needed a girls night out away from all the... well you know." I sighed following Morgana through the lower town. Merlin hot on my heels.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"Hmm fine by me, I guess. I'm sure the prat can handle one day without me." She laughed shrugging. Her legendary grin shining on her face.
"Hey guys come look at this!" Morgana called from a boutique booth. Hurrying to catch up we peeked over her shoulder at a beautiful pale pink A line dress with simple white trimming, and a little white and pink apron over top of it.
"Oh, it is lovely." I gasped admiring it. Glancing at the evil smirk on my lady’s face I couldn't help but smirk myself already knowing exactly where her thoughts were going. Paying for the dress Morgana quickly turned and snatched Merlin’s wrist with me grabbing her other wrist. Merlin must have realized what we were doing for she immediately began to struggle. Desperately trying to break free as we dragged her into a tavern bathroom.
Together we managed to tear off her boring old shirt and breeches that make her look like a boy and force her into the dress. Pinning her hair back out of her face with some extra bobby pins Morgana had tucked up in her dress for emergencies we took a step back. Immediately we began to coo at how cute she looked. With her curly black hair pinned out of her face and lying flat down her back, revealing her baby blue eyes that melted a person’s heart just with her doe eyed gaze. Her pale pink lips stuck out into a pout as her arms crossed protectively over her chest. The pink dress did wonders for her boyish complexion. She's as pretty as a doll in it.
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"Is this really necessary. Can't I at least wear my pants underneath this dress"
"No." Both Morgana and I happily answered making sure to keep her shirt and breeches tucked away in a bag out of Merlin’s reach.
"Oh, come on but it's cold in this thing. Not to mention uncomfortable." She whined as we dragged her all throughout town looking at every pretty thing we could find. We were all greatly enjoying ourselves. Even Merlin once she got past the whole dress thing. When suddenly 3 guys appeared in front of us. Obviously drunk by their dilated eyes, and swaying posture. We attempted to just go around them only for them to quickly step back in our way. Morgana sensing danger quickly dragged Merlin and I behind her. As if to shield us with her body.
"Can we help you gentlemen." Morgana sweetly enquired, a hint of venom seeping into her voice.
"You most certainly can help us." One of them hiccupped licking his lips as his eyes inspected us from a far. The way he regarded us as if we were meat made my skin crawl. I could tell by the queasy expression on Merlin’s face that she felt the same.
"Why not come back to our place. I promise it will be a night you won't soon forget." Another one promised smirking at me. Crossing my arms protectively over my chest I scooted closer to my friends terrified of what he was implying.
"No thanks. We really should be getting back. Aren’t that right girls." Morgana quickly stated dragging us in the opposite direction of the 3 creepy guys. Not liking her answer, they frowned. One of them bold enough to reach out and grasp Morgana's wrist. It was at that moment that Sir Leon appeared around the corner.
"Sir Leon!" I frantically called out. At the desperation in my voice Leon immediately paused in his pace turning to follow my voice. Upon spotting us and seeing the guys surrounding us, with one of their hands locked around the princesses wrist he frowned. Hand falling to his sword, eyes narrowed, he changed his destination heading right toward us. Stopping in front of us he glared menacingly at our captors. Lips pulling back into a snarl. If looks could kill the guy that still held Morgana would be burned alive where he stood. Leon’s eyes never leaving the hand encircling my lady’s wrist.
"Good day gentlemen. Is there perhaps a reason you are detaining the princess and her entourage?" They paled at this. The one holding my lady pulling his hand back as if burned as they finally realized who it was, they were harnessing.
"Hmm what’s this no answer. That’s ok I know some guys who are dying to meet you." He sweetly stated waving over some passing knights who quickly grabbed our attackers none too gently. Pinning their arms behind their backs.
"Now if you will kindly go with these fine gentlemen, I am sure the king will love to hear how you tried to assault his ward. Boys." At the captains orders the knights quickly dragged the creeps away. No doubt to their execution. No one touches Morgana unless they want the King to go batty on them. Turning back to us his expression immediately warped to one of absolute concern.
"Are you alright?" Though he meant it for all of us even I could tell it was mainly directed toward Morgana. I smirked seeing him fussing over my lady cradling her now bruised wrist in his own as he gently rubbed feeling back into the abused skin. I could also tell by Morgana's radiant smile that his attention wasn't unwelcome.
"Thanks to you we are. Thank you sir Leon. I will be sure to mention your valiant actions to the king." Morgana softly replied eyes twinkling as she covered his hand with her own. Catching Merlin’s eye, I inclined my head toward the two love birds making her giggle as I immediately rolled my eyes at them.
The King upon hearing of the men’s had all of them flogged 20 times. 10 one night, 10 the next, and had salt and alcohol rubbed into each of their wounds. They then had their tongues cut out for the filthy words they dared speak against Morgana. Lastly all of them, but the one who had actually touched Morgana were banished from Camelot. The one who dared to grab her wrist had his hands cut off before also being banished. Honestly in my opinion they got off lightly compared to some of the previous assailants who dare go after his ward. I felt my skin crawl just thinking of it. They should be thankful it wasn't worse. All in all, it was definitely a girls night to remember.
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(Merlin's POV)
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"Dinner time Prat, how was your..." I trailed off in stunned silence as I turned around, after setting down his tray, to find him standing there his shirt and pants on backwards, 2 different pairs of shoes on his feet. Both on the wrong feet and sitting untied. hair a complete disaster and knife cuts on his chin from where he obviously tried to shave himself.
"Not a word Merlin." I tried I really did try to obey him this time but then I noticed his pants weren't just on backwards they were inside out too. I lost it at that. falling backwards and howling in laughter on the floor as he stood above me scowling.
"I... I was g... gone for o...one day. How..." He cut off my attempts to speak though my laughter pouting as he turned away from me.
"Well, I can’t be expected to dress myself that’s what servants are for." He harrumphed his cheeks blazing pink.
"B... But Arthur. Even U... Uther can dress himself." I gasped attempting to control my laughter. He scowled at that sending me into another fit of laughter.