So it's been like forever since I've posted anything! Well, this is the 'PG-13' version of this fic. I've written two versions. The other is an 'M' rated very dark version. It will also be posted. This is a one shot.

So, obviously Lancelot is not dead. This does not follow cannon for season 4. (I've only seen the first three episodes of season 4 so far.) This is my first Merlin fic so be kind!

Don't own them, never will, they belong to someone else…sigh.

Reviews are enjoyed but not required. Thanks for reading!

***arthur***merlin***gwen***

Arthur Pendragon was tired- exhausted, actually. As he climbed the stairs of the castle, he gave a heavy sigh. It had been a long, tiring hunting trip and the cold downpour of rain did not help. He was soaked to the bone and freezing cold. All he wanted was dry clothes, a warm fire and his beautiful wife.

Merlin had stayed to tend to the horses and Gwaine, Leon and Percival had gone in search of their own dry clothes and food. The castle was quiet as it was the middle of the night. The party was not supposed to arrive until morning, but the cold had urged them to ride faster and they arrived early. None of the men wanted to spend another cold night in the woods.

As Arthur reached his door, something made his skin crawl. It was an odd sensation and he had no idea why he felt that way. At that moment a soft noise caught his attention, a noise he recognized. A sigh of pleasure. He smiled to himself, thinking of Gwen pleasuring herself in his absence. His smile faded as he opened the door and realized Gwen was not alone. There was his wife, the love of his life, in the arms of another man.

"Guinevere!"

At the sound of Arthur's enraged shout, Gwen and her lover scrambled out of the bed, Gwen only in a flimsy chemise, he only in a pair of sleep pants. Arthur's jaw tightened at the sight of his greatest knight, his close friend, standing there half naked with his wife.

In a blind rage, Arthur drew his sword and stalked towards Lancelot.

"How could you? You bastard! I trusted you! I trusted you with everything!"

Lancelot raised his hands in a surrender gesture as Arthur continued to stalk forward. He said nothing as his back hit the wall and the point of Arthur's sword came to rest at the hollow of his throat.

"Give me a reason, just one, not to kill you right here," Arthur ground out between gritted teeth.

"Arthur, please!" Gwen pleaded.

"Shut up! Don't you dare speak to me!"

The point of the sword dug just a bit deeper into Lancelot's skin causing a small trickle of blood to run down his chest.

"It would be so easy. But I will not give you the reprieve of a swift death. When I kill you, you will suffer."

"And I deserve no less." Lancelot finally spoke.

Arthur's hands trembled in anger as he turned his glare towards Gwen.

"Arthur, oh God, Arthur, I am so sorry."

As he let the sword drop from Lancelot's throat Arthur took a deep breath. Without warning, he lashed out and backhanded Gwen across the face, sending her to the floor.

Merlin was coming down the hall when he heard Gwen scream. As he ran towards Arthur's room he could hear the king shouting at Gwen.

"Sorry? Is that all you can say? You have betrayed me; you have betrayed your kingdom, your people. How do you think the people of Camelot will view their queen when they discover she is nothing but a common whore? Is it not enough that you betrayed me with another man, but you have to do so in our marital bed? With one of my knights? You disgust me!"

Merlin stood in the doorway taking in the scene with absolute shock. Gwen on the floor, tears streaming down her face, her lip bloody. Lancelot against the wall, blood trickling down his chest. And Arthur, standing with his sword in his hand and rage in his eyes. He didn't realize that Arthur had noticed his presence.

"Merlin, fetch the guards," Arthur said calmly.

Too shocked to answer properly, Merlin just nodded and quickly ran to do so. When he returned a few moments later Gwen was still on the floor sobbing and Lancelot was standing with his head bowed in shame, a look of regret on his face.

"Guards, take this lying, no good traitor to the dungeons until I can decide on a suitable punishment for him," Arthur said as he pointed at Lancelot with his sword. "And there is no need to be gentle with him," he added with menace in his voice.

The guards roughly grabbed Lancelot and shoved him into the hall. Merlin stood there still too surprised to process what was happening.

Arthur leaned his sword against the wall and reached down to grab Gwen's arm and yank her up from the floor. She cried out in pain as Arthur was obviously hurting her.

"And you, you adulterous whore, get out of my chambers. Get out of my kingdom! If you are not gone within the hour I will have you executed! You are NEVER to return to Camelot! I never want to see your face in my kingdom again, do you understand me?"

Gwen could not muster a response; she only nodded her head then stared at the floor in shame.

Arthur harshly shoved her towards the door where she gave Merlin the saddest look he had ever seen in his life. She walked down the hall and out of sight before Arthur moved again. Merlin watched with curiosity as Arthur went about gathering some of Gwen's things. He shoved the bundle into Merlin's arms.

"See to it that Gwen gets these." Arthur took a deep breath and blew it out. "And see to it that she has a horse to leave on."

Merlin still stood there stunned. It was obvious Arthur still loved Gwen and was holding back the true emotions he was feeling. Why else would he care that she had clothing and a way to travel?

"Arthur?" Merlin finally said.

"Just go Merlin. Please."

Merlin nodded and turned to leave. Arthur closed the door behind him and before he walked away he could hear Arthur methodically trashing his chambers. All he could do was shake his head and sigh.

After thoroughly destroying his room, Arthur curled up on the hard stone floor in front of the fire as he could not bear to sleep in the bed Gwen and Lancelot had just been occupying. He thought to himself that he would have Merlin fetch him a new mattress and bed linens later in the day.

As he shivered on the floor, everything finally hit him hard. For the first time in his life, Arthur Pendragon cried himself to sleep.

***arthur***merlin***gwen

A/N: So, there you have it. Before anyone says it, yes, only Gwaine, Leon and Percival went with Arthur. I had to have Lancelot stay behind after all…

As I said, this is a one shot. I haven't decided if I am going to write anything more so I won't make any promises.

Thanks again for reading!