This oneshot is inspired by the large amount of snow that fell in my village today; 5 hours straight. Some of my friends were actually snowed in.
Gwen rubbed her eyes and blinked hard. No, she wasn't dreaming... The whole of Camelot was covered in snow. The window ledge was thick iced with a white layer and when she tried to shift the door bolt it stung her fingers with ice.
"Ah well, there won't be any pitiful castle work today" she laughed to hear her own voice, terribly cheerful despite the predicament she was in. Quite a significant predicament, she'd counted on being able to take this week's wages in firewood and today was payday.
"Late again Merlin" Arthur stared up at the canopy over his bed "Will you ever learn?" When no response came he sat up and came face to face with a white monster!
"ssss-orrr-y SSSSSS - iii -rrrr-e" Even through chattering teeth the sarcasm on the sire was clear enough.
Arthur frowned as he ate his breakfast " How deep is the snow?"
"Up to the middle of my shins in the courtyard and looks deeper still in the town" Merlin was standing near the fire, thawing out. He started as the Prince stood up with a decisive look on his face "Arthur?"
"Go down to the servants and get as many shovels and brushes as you can carry" The bossy Prince of Camelot was back.
By the time Merlin had dragged a sledge of the requested equipment out to the courtyard he found the knights of Camelot wrapped up warmly and tying their horses in the equivalent of a Camel train. Cýðð (Arthur's charger) was leading as he could be trusted to follow his master anywhere. The reins of Pellinore's horse were tied to Cýðð's saddle horn and the other chargers followed, alternating which side they were walking compared to the horse before. No that unusual, except that every horse was laden down with two baskets of firewood apiece so they looked like pack donkeys. Each knight armed himself with a brush or shovel and was then directed into position by Arthur. Shovel's at the front in an arrow shape and brushes behind to sweep away missed snow. Arthur had a shovel, Merlin had a broom.
The cavalcade made its way down the main street clearing a path for the workers and ordinary people. They received grateful looks and innumerable offers of hot drinks as firewood was delivered. On a final scout of the lowest town Arthur untied his still burdened horse and led it off, causing some whispering and looks amongst his knights.
Gwen watched her fire burn lower and lower, knowing that soon it would die out completely and she would start to freeze. The worst thing was that no-one would know or even care; her parents were long dead and Morgana was gone.
Arthur knew that the cottage would become a death trap, the door had frozen solid. But from spending two nights there he knew another way in.
"Get on home Cýðð" the prince pulled the remain firewood under one arm and marched round to the back of the house.
Gwen would have leapt up when a snow covered Arthur burst in, leaving a buckled door behind him, but she was so cold already... Next second a large heap of fire wood had clattered to the floor and she was grabbed into a surprisingly forceful but warming embrace.
"It's alright Guinevere, I'll see you don't suffer this winter even if you are snowed in"
This wasn't supposed to be romantic or Arthur/Gwen but it turned out that way. Cýðð means friendship in Old English.
Set post 2x12 or post the whole season