Amelia's Story (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 9: The Poisoned Chalice

Amelia's POV

Today is a very tense day. Well, it has been a tense few weeks as Camelot has been preparing for the arrival of Lord Bayard of Mercia. Camelot has been at war with them on and off and things have been very tense for many years and now Bayard is coming to sign a peace treaty.

In the Throne room Morgana, Gwen, Anne and Amelia are walking behind Arthur and Uther. They all walk very dramatically, with other Courtiers, Knights and servants, towards Bayard and his group, who have just entered and are walking towards them.

They all met in the middle and Uther speaks, "Camelot welcomes you, Lord Bayard of Mercia. The treaty we sign today marks an end to war and a beginning to a new friendship between our people." Uther and Bayard grasp arms.

Amelia glances over all of the new arrivals and notices a maid staring toward where Merlin stands. This causes something to niggle in her brain. She does not look familiar at all but Amelia knows she must be significant. Her notes said that when Bayard arrives, Nimueh poisons Merlin then tries to kill Arthur when he tries to save him but other than that she had not put anything else for this episode. She had clearly put too much faith in her older self and was thinking that nothing really needed to be changed and that she should let it go as it already did.

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Anne's POV

Merlin passes Gaius and Anne in the Upper Corridor while carrying a heavy bag. "Why do I always get landed with the donkey work?" He huffs dropping the bag.

"You're a servant, Merlin. It's what you do." Gaius says amused at the sight.

"My arms will be a foot longer by the time I get this lot inside," Merlin complains.

"It's character building," Anne says.

"Yes." Gaius agrees. "As the old proverb says, hard work breeds... a harder soul." He is clearly making that up on the spot.

Merlin looks at him knowingly. "There is no way that's a proverb. You just made that up."

"No. I didn't." Gaius says. Anne notices a maid striding determinedly towards them from behind Merlin and Gaius. The maid then falls in front of Merlin. Anne frowns thinking how faked that looked but the other two seem to have not noticed the act.

"Sorry." She mutters demurely.

"It's alright," Merlin says looking quite taken with her. She is very beautiful.

"Excuse me." She says bending to begin gathering her things again.

"Let me give you a hand with that." Merlin crouches down and catches the girl's eye. Anne analyses the scene sensing something is off. They stand up.

"Hi. I'm Merlin." He shakes her hand. Anne can't help but slightly smile at the sight of Merlin being armoured by the girl. He looks quite sweet.

"Cara." She greets. "You're Arthur's servant. That must be such an honour." She continues trying to butter him up.

"Oh, yeah. It is. Well, you know, someone's got to keep the place running." Merlin boasts.

"Thank you, Merlin." She says trying to get him to realise that he is still holding some of her things.

"Hmm?" Merlin says still staring at her clearly very besotted. He then snaps out of it and looks down at the pillow he picked up for her. "Oh, right. Yeah. Er, no problem." He hurriedly says handing it over.

"It was nice meeting you." She says walking away. Merlin continues to watch her leave.

"Shouldn't you be busy running the place?" Gaius asks sarcastically making Merlin realise that Gaius and Anne are still with him. Gaius laughs. Anne joins him trying to cover up the unease she feels.