It's time, Gwen thought, looking out at the window as she packed a few last minute things. She went outside, putting the rest of her bags and ends into her cart and carefully picked it up, making her way to Camelot's gates.
"Gwen! Wait, Gwen! Wait!" Guinivere turned towards the voice of Merlin, tears still streaming her face and she shook her head.
"What is it, Merlin? I have to go." She said, sighing and placing her heavy cart down, "Arthur has banished me from Camelot, which is more than I deserve so I must respect that wish and leave at first light."
Merlin caught up to her, breathing heavily. He bent over, putting his hands on his thighs and looked up at her, "you can't go, Gwen. He still loves you." Merlin said, still trying to catch his breath.
At this Guinivere felt more tears sting her eyes and she sighed, looking up to the sky for a moment before looking back at him, "I know, he's told me, Merlin. But he also told me he can never trust me again. What I did was horrid. I cannot blame him! I should have been executed, but he loves me enough to spare my life…if I leave Camelot."
Merlin shook his head, standing to his full height again, "I can't let you do that, Gwen. Not when it is hurting you, as well as Arthur, this much." He said, quickly grabbing her cart and walking back up the path towards the castle.
"Merlin! Stop it, I have to go!" She yelled, quickly following after him. He ignored her though, continuing to climb the path up the hill and away from the gates.
Gwen caught up to him and jumped in front of him, forcing him to stop, "Merlin, I need to leave. Now."
"Why did you do it, Gwen?" He said back suddenly, looking down at her. "Why did you kiss Lancelot?" Gwen studied his face for a moment, shocked that he asked so suddenly. He was the first person that didn't looked betrayed she noted; he merely just looked curious, like he was trying to help.
She sighed, looking down at the ground and thinking hard. She still could not come up with an appropriate answer though, "I don't know, Merlin." She said, swallowing hard and looking him in the eye once more, "Truly, I don't. It's almost as if…I was drawn to him. Against my will, I would say, but that can't be."
Merlin looked off in the distance after she said this, calculating it through his mind and then had a look of realization on his face, one Gwen was very familiar with, "Merlin, don't you dare say it was sorce-"
"Sorcery!" he said, though, cutting her off.
Gwen sighed, shaking her head, "It can't be Merlin, Lancelot is not a sorcerer. This much I know."
But once Merlin had an idea in his head, she knew, there was no stopping him until he proved it either right or wrong. He started walking up to the castle with her things again, "but it has to be; how else would you explain being drawn to him like that?"
Guinivere shook her head, knowing this was nuts, but followed her friend anyway, "I don't know, Merlin. There is no way he used magic on me though. I would have known." Wouldn't have I?
"Maybe not," Merlin said, feeding a growing knot of doubt that Gwen had about her last couple of days.
"I guess…I suppose I have not really been myself these last few days."
"Exactly! So how do you know it isn't magic?" Merlin said, placing her things down and strolling right up to the palace door, opening it and letting her in.
The guards noticed them right away, knowing full well that Gwen had been exiled. "Miss Guinivere," one said, stepping forward and towards her.
Gwen recognised him from her days working in the castle and did not know him by name, but the had always talked when passing another.
"You must leave, I'm truly sorry, King's orders." The guard said, looking sincerely sympathetic.
Guinivere nodded, glaring at Merlin, "No, it is I who should be apologizing. I should not have let Merlin talk me into coming here."
She went to turn and walk out, but Merlin caught her arm, looking back at the guard, "Please, sir. I am doing this for the king."
The guard sighed, looking back over at Gwen who had fresh tears in her eyes and was glaring heavily at the door. Everyone knew that King Arthur loved this girl and the guard also knew Merlin was a good servant. He nodded gruffly, "But do not expect the other knights and guards to be so generous, Miss." He said, aiming his reply to Gwen.
Her bright doe eyes widened, not expecting this kindness and she nodded, quickly following Merlin and dodging more guards until they got to the throne room, "Wait here." Merlin said, ducking in and undoubtedly going to talk to Arthur.
"Sire?" She heard Merlin say, not sure if she was happy about being able to hear what was going on or not.
"What is it, Merlin?" Arthur replied, sighing loudly after, as though he had much better things to do than talk to his serving boy.
"It's…it is about Guinivere." Merlin said softly, "I wanted to talk to you about something I may have found out."
Arthur didn't say anything for almost an entire minute, one that felt like an eternity to both Merlin and Gwen. "What about her?"
"I talked to her, before she left sire, and…when I asked her about what happened she told me that she was unexplainably drawn to Sir Lancelot, almost as if it were against her will." Merlin said, hoping Arthur would catch on, which he did.
"Merlin, if you are suggesting that sorcer-"
"But it has to be si-"
"Merlin! Not all of our problems in life sprout from sorcery!" Arthur yelled, making Merlin go pale and Guinivere to jump. After a few seconds he sighed, saying, "I want to believe that it wasn't Guinivere thinking as much as you do, Merlin, but it was her. Do you even have any kind of proof to back up your sorcery thought?"
Merlin's colour returned to his face, blushing from slight embarrassment, "No, sire." He said softly, looking down.
"Just as I thought." Arthur said, "Can you please go make yourself useful now?"
Merlin just simply nodded, backing away and out the door to find Gwen crying again.
"I told you, Merlin. I should have just left." She said softly, wiping her face.
Merlin grit his teeth, not wanting to just give up, "Gwen wait," he said when she turned to leave, "Are you positive nothing unusual happened? No one fed you anything strange, gave you any strange gifts, drinks, anything."
Gwen shook her head, getting fed up with Merlin, "No, Merlin, no one has given…" she stopped mid-sentence, furrowing her brow and then looking back up at her friend.
"What is it?" he asked, gripping to this last piece of hope.
"Well, Lancelot gave me a wedding present," She explained, "A bracelet."
Merlin grinned, glad to have some sort of lead, "Perfect. Where is it?"
Gwen bit her lip, "In the cell I was in." she explained softly, her face pained, "I threw it in a fit of rage after what happened." She explained, frowning a little.
"No matter, I should be able to get down there." He said easily, already making his way there, "Go hide out in Gaius' room, he won't give you away."
Before Gwen could argue him Merlin was already half way to the dungeons, explaining to the guards that he may have left something down there when he visited Guinivere last. After being let through he quickly searched the cell, finding Gwen's bracelet and pocketing it.
He quickly made his way up to Gaius' chambers, finding him sitting at the table.
"Where is Gwen?" He asked quickly, scarred she made not have made it all the way here.
"Sleeping in your room, the poor girl looked terrible so I offered her the bed," Gaius explained, calming. "Merlin, what is it?" Gaius asked, seeing the grin on the young man's face appear as he held something up.
What he held up to his guardian was the bracelet, "Gaius is there any way to figure out if this has been enchanted or not?"
After examining the piece of jewellery for quite a long time Gaius finally nodded, "This is most definitely enchanted." He said softly, "It has some sort of love…spell placed upon it."
Merlin nodded, grabbing the artefact and running back out of the room, "Merlin! Where are you going?"
"I have to go talk to Arthur!" he yelled, racing away till he could find his friend. "Sire, I have proof."
"Merlin, what are you talking about?" Arthur asked, rolling his eyes and gesturing with his arms to the sky melodramatically as he turned to face his servant.
"This." Merlin said, holding out the bracelet. He saw Arthur's quizzical look and continued, "I found it in Gwen's cell. Gaius believes it's been enchanted with some sort of love spell."
Arthur swallowed hard, biting his lip and taking the bracelet from Merlin. Looking down at it and twirling it between his fingers he did remember seeing it on Guinivere's wrist, but only in the recent few days.
"She said it was a wedding gift from Lancelot." Merlin added as Arthur played with the bracelet.
"I have to go find her," Arthur said quietly, almost to soft for Merlin to hear.
"What was that, sire?"
"I said, I have to go find her." Arthur repeated, this time loudly and confidently, looking his friend in the eye.
Merlin grinned, "You may not have to look to far, Arthur." He said.
Arthur frowned, but followed Merlin as he beckoned him forward, towards Gaius' chambers. By the time they got there Gwen was sitting up with Gaius, drinking tea.
When the door opened and she saw Arthur she stood up right away, bowing her head, "Sire, I am terribly sorry, I should not be here, I should be long gone from Camelot by now."
The fair haired king said nothing, but walked towards her, making her cower away from him slightly. He reached his hands out once he was close enough and gently lifted her face up, "Guinivere," he said softly, "I love you." He kissed her forehead lovingly before continuing, "Will you still do me the honour of becoming my Queen?"