How Merlin and the kitchen staff saved Camelot.

A/N-Just a cute little story about Merlin. Sadly, we still don't own any of the characters.

The castle was a flurry with activity. A huge celebration had been planned for Arthur's birthday. Dignitaries had been invited,special food prepared,decorations hung...Queen Guinevere wanted this to be a celebration to be remembered.

Morgana had been watching all the activity from a distance. She too had a celebration planned for Arthur's birthday. One that she hoped everyone would remember as well.

She had amassed a small army,one that would not be detected very readily. Her attack had been planned for months,and would take place while everyone celebrated in the castle.

One at a time,the nobles were announced and escorted to their tables. Finally, Gwen and Arthur took their places at the head table with much fanfare. Before the food was served or the drinks poured,speeches were made.

Gwaine rolled his eyes at Percival. "You'd think they could at least pour the wine..."

Percival smiled,"I think we're in for a long night."

He had no idea how right he was.

Finally,the speeches were over and the food began to served,and the ale was poured.

"About time...",Gwaine complained.

Percival smiled and shook his head.

Slowly,quietly,Morgana and her small group made it past the gates of the lower town. Her attack depended on the element of surprise. As they got closer to the castle there were more and more people bustling about and quite a bit more noise. One by one,Morgana's men were able to slip in among the castle's servants.

An older woman,Millie,walked out of the kitchens to fetch supplies from the store room and to catch her breath. She thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye and when she was safely in the supply room she peeked through the cracks to make sure. "Morgana!",She gasped. Millie quickly grabbed the closest thing available and rushed back to the kitchen.

Millie ran to the head cook and frantically whispering her alarming news. Audry's face went pale as she thought of what to do.

"Best not to say anything,don't want to frighten the others...",Audry bit her lip.

"We have to tell someone.",Millie said urgently.

Audry and Millie looked nervously around the kitchen. They realized some of the servants were men neither of them recognized. They were in trouble.

Just then,Audry looked relieved as a servant with a very familiar brown jacket and red neck scarf strode in.
"Merlin!",Audry called,"I have a special errand for you!"

Merlin strolled over to them,grinning. "What can I do for you?",He asked.

Audry and Millie quickly told Merlin their frightening news.

"You're sure?',Merlin whispered.

Both women nodded. Merlin looked towards the door where Millie said she saw Morgana.

Merlin thought for a moment. "Our problem here is Morgana. Once she's taken care of the others shouldn't be to hard...do you think you can handle it?"

Audry and Millie nervously looked at each other. If they were to succeed they would have to do this on their own. Any help from inside and Morgana would get suspicious.

Audry and Millie quickly took an inventory of the strangers in the kitchen. There were only about a dozen or so "extras".

"I have an idea.",Merlin said,as he quickly, but calmly made his way out of the kitchen. In a few minutes he reappeared at the kitchen door. He gave Audry a small vial. "Pour this into some wine,it's a strong sleeping drought. Invite our "friends" to have a drink,this will knock them out quickly and keep them that way until we can get Morgana."

Merlin quietly ran out of the kitchens toward the last place Morgana was seen. He carefully shut and locked the kitchen door. He stealthily walked around the supply room.

Suddenly, Merlin was thrown back against the building.

"Looking for something?",Morgana sneered.

Slowly,Merlin sat up,glaring at the witch.

"This ends here,Morgana.",Merlin said dangerously.

"And just how do you intend to stop me,Merlin?"

"I'll stop you.",He said,getting to his feet.

Morgana grinned wickedly,as she thought about the revenge she was going to exact on Merlin. She raised her hand and began her enchantment.
Merlin's eyes burned gold as the spell died on Morgana's lips.

Furious,Morgana tried the spell again. Merlin glared at her.

"You! It's been you all along!",She screamed.

"Yes,Morgana,always me. Stop this while you still can.",He said calmly.

"Never!"

"Fine."

Back in the kitchen,Audry and Millie watched their "guests" drink the wine. Slowly the men went to sleep. Audry kicked one of the sleeping soldiers,knocking him over.
"Here!",She said to the other women in the kitchen.,"Tie their hands and put them in the corner."

After the last of them was dealt with Audry and Millie smiled at their handiwork. Then they noticed that the sky had darkened,thunder crashed and lightening flashed. The wind was howling so loud they couldn't hear one another. What was going on? How could a storm this bad happen so quickly?

Audry looked back at Millie with a worriedly. Was Merlin out there? Was he okay?

Morgana looked at Merlin in shock. He had stopped all of her spells with a flash of his eyes. "No one is that powerful.",She thought,"especially not Merlin." She began throwing things at him with magic,anything she could find. "Oh,why couldn't we be doing this in the armory?"

"Really?",Merlin thought. He had expected this to be much harder than it was. "Come on,Morgana! You're not even trying!",He taunted.

She glared at Merlin,screaming her next spell. The walls of the building behind Merlin began to shake. The building began to pull itself apart,wood and nails flinging themselves at Merlin. Before he could get out of the way,a splintered board caught him on the side of the head,sending him to the ground. Morgana shouted in joy. Then suddenly the building stopped shaking and all was quiet.

Merlin got to his feet slowly and looked calmly at Morgana. He had only a small cut above his right eye for all her efforts. "Are you done?",He asked,bored.

Morgana looked at him blankly.

"Are you done?",He asked again.

Morgana stared at him in dawning horror.

"It that a yes?...Good,because now it's my turn."

Merlin lifted his left hand to the sky. The clouds darkened and began to churn,thunder and lightening began to boom and crack above them. The wind started howling and a giant funnel cloud formed over Morgana. She held out her hand at the storm raging over her,unable to do anything to stop the wind from jerking her from her place.

Morgana was sucked up into the storm,screaming. Then as quickly as the storm arrived it disappeared,and the only person left was Merlin. He walked calmly into the kitchen to check on Audry and Millie.

Everyone in the kitchen stared at Merlin as he made his way through. "I'll get some guards to take those men to the dungeons.",He said ,grabbing a tray of fruit.

Audry smiled at Merlin and nodded,more than a little confused.

"Where's Morgana?",Millie asked.

"She's gone.",Merlin answered simply.

"Gone?",Millie parroted.

Merlin just smiled and nodded.

In the dining hall,Merlin placed the tray of fruit on the head table. Arthur motioned for Merlin to come near.

"Where have you been?"

"There was a problem in the kitchen."

"But it's been taken care of?"

"Yes,we took care of it."

Arthur looked questioningly at Merlin,who simply grinned. Arthur nodded at him and smiled back puzzled.

"What happened to your head?",Arthur inquired.

Merlin touched the cut over his eye.

"Oh,I hit it on a board...",He said as he walked away.

The celebrations were a complete success. None of the guests every found out how close they had been to war in Camelot. Morgana's men were taken into the Valley of the Fallen Kings and made to swear,upon pain of death,that they would never return to Camelot. Morgana was never heard from again. The ladies of the kitchen were the only ones who knew what happened that night,but even they didn't know the whole story.

End note- Ah yes, if only it were that easy! Hope you liked it. Anglophiles