AN: One of my all-time favourite Merlin scenes is from series 3 episode 13 where Gwen forces Leon to wear a dress in order to smuggle him out of Camelot. This story was prompted that scene. I think that since Gwen puts her sword skills down to being a blacksmith's daughter; I think she probably would have been quite a bit of a tomboy as a child. I'm aware that she and Leon wouldn't be that close in age but in this story they are.
Gwen's mind was racing as she swept the floor of Morgana's chambers. There had been no word of Arthur, Merlin, Gaius or Elyan for over a week now. Sir Leon was in the dungeons and facing execution and Morgana had total control over Camelot. Gwen couldn't stand by and watch one of her friends die. Part of the plan had formed in her head; she needed a mould of the cell key to make a duplicate in the smithy which Elyan now ran since his return. Therefore she'd be able to get Leon out; the problem as how could she smuggle him out of Camelot when all the guards would be looking for him. As Gwen tried to think of various methods; an old memory from her childhood came back to her.
She was standing in the middle of a group of boys aged from around six to thirteen. She was ten years old and was facing the twelve year old Leon. The boys were all chanting 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' repeatedly.
"I'll give you one more chance, Leon! Take it back!" Gwen shouted.
"Why should I?" Leon asked, smirking. "You are a girl after all!"
Gwen went to punch him but before she could a man's voice sounded and the kids rapidly dispersed, leaving her alone in the field.
"GUINEVERE MARY LEODEGRANCE!"
Gwen spun around and chewed her lip as Tom approached her. "What have I told you about fighting against the boys?"
"Not to," Gwen mumbled staring at the ground. "But he started it! He said I was girly!"
Tom inwardly chuckled to himself. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought he had two sons. Gwen was a total tomboy; rarely wearing dresses and running around with the boys. She climbed trees and played battle games with them and only did somewhat feminine things whenever she was forced to. Like today, she was taken along to the flower meadows with the other girls her age because it was rumoured that King Uther was looking for a young girl to be a handmaid to his new ward Lady Morgana.
"That's no reason to start a fight with him. Leon's older than you and he'll be a knight someday. I know it's not fair but girls aren't supposed to be fighting with the boys." Tom explained.
"But you teach me to sword fight." Gwen argued.
"That's different; I'm teaching you self-defence. The fighting you're doing with Leon is attacking. Besides you'll never know. Someday being thought as girly could help you." Tom said, leading Gwen out of the field and to the smithy were he could keep an eye on her.
The idea hit Gwen and she smiled to herself.
Perfect.
If she was able to, then she couldn't see why she couldn't 'liberate' one of the dresses that had belonged to Lady Helena before she had passed away a few months back. Helena had been quite tall and as she had been pregnant before her death that meant the dress would be able to accommodate Leon's build. Gwen hurriedly finished her work and put her plan into action; praying that Morgana and Morgause were too busy plotting what to do with the kingdom next to notice anything unusual about her actions.
"Y-you can't be serious." Leon said, holding up the dress.
"Just hurry. Every knight in Camelot will be looking for you. They won't be looking for two women courtiers."Gwen insisted. Leon cast his eyes skyward but obeyed.
Gwen and Leon made it out of Camelot and into the woods. As the morning broke and they were safely away from any guards or knights that were searching for them; Leon turned to Gwen, fumbling with the purple dress.
"Can I take this thing off yet?" he asked.
"I guess but I must say you look quite girly in it." Gwen replied smiling. Leon looked at her and knew that they were thinking about the same thing. For weeks after the ten year old Gwen was chosen to work as Morgana's new maid; the twelve year old Leon went out of his way to tell the tomboyish Gwen just how 'girly' she looked when she was doing chores for Morgana in her work dresses.
"You're never going to let me forget this are you?" Leon sighed.
"Never, but we've got more important things to worry about now." Gwen said seriously, handing back his clothes. Once Leon had changed, they set off trying to find Arthur to help defeat Morgana and Morgause and place Camelot back in the hands to whom it rightfully belonged.