Prologue

Gwen her dark eyes down as she spotted Merlin trudging in her direction. His wide mouth twisted in annoyance, a gleam in his blue eyes, his boney arms laden with Arthur's dusty armor. Merlin leaned against a hard stone wall as his eyes searched Gwen's.

"Sometimes, Gwen, it's tiring to be Arthur's whipping boy. Uther yells, overwork Merlin. Gwen ignores me, throw things at Merlin. Sometimes, Gwen."

Guilt poured in Gwen's veins; she could be a better friend. Maybe, she shouldn't ignore Prince Arthur, but what could she do? She was a servant. A maid to the King's ward, lady Morgana. Arthur was little more than a beautiful dream that she dare dream on dark lonely nights.

"Forgive me, Merlin," Gwen reasoned as she rested a hand on Merlin's arm. The cloth felt rough under her tired hands. "Sometimes, I forget that Arthur punishes you for everything. I will try to be nice to Arthur."

"It's not you. It's everything."

Gwen noticed a worried gleam float quickly out of Merlin's blue eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Nothing, I'm off to scrub, polished, and organize Arthur's armor."

"Come to dinner, Merlin?"

"Maybe."

"I have hot vegetable soup with fresh bread and butter."

Merlin arched an eyebrow. "Well, I can't refuse vegetable soup and fresh bread."

Gwen watched her friend struggle to hold the times and maintain his balance. She resisted an impulsive urge to stomp to Arthur's room and demand that he treat Merlin with dignity. Gwen shook her head to clear her mind. Cobwebs, her brain filled with cobwebs. How could she ever make demands of Arthur? Gen was pleased that she still had her head after yelling at Arthur three times. She dare not test his pertinence. Her hand brushed a soft curl from her moist brow. If Gwen was complete honest with herself, deep in her heart, she wanted to see Arthur; to stare deeply in his sapphire blue eyes. But, it could never be except in her dreams.

Sadly, Gwen's feet carried her towards lady Morgana's chamber. She wasted much too much time dreaming of her forbidden love for Prince Arthur. It could never be.

Merlin leaned back in Gwen's stiff chair. His stomach warm and full from her delicious soup. His large hand curved around a cool goblet of apple cider. His blue eyes watched Gwen as she quickly tided her small kitchen.

"He loves you."

"He loves to charge into battle, but is it good for him?"

Laughing, Merlin shook his dark head. His thoughts drifted to Lady Morgana. Beautiful, dangerous, deadly, dark Morgana. One day, Merlin knew realized he would face Morgana over Arthur. She twisted Arthur's destiny in her cool, delicate hands. A powerful evil dwelled in Morgana. Nothing like he had ever seen or ever wants to face.

"Merlin, where are you?" Gwen stood in front of Merlin. Her dark brows knitted together, confusion reigned in her eyes.

"Sitting at your table?'"

'That's not what I said."

"I love Arthur."

"I have never uttered those words."

'Would make my life better, if you did."

"It would ruin all of ours."

Gwen plopped next to Merlin, her old chair rumbled from her weight. 'Don't encourage me to dream, Merlin. Just let it rest."

'He saved Elyan. He would do anything for you."

Merlin sipped his cider. "Just wish upon a star.'

"What would you wish?"

"A day without chores."

Merlin stood like a statue next to Gwen as they wait on cues to attend Camelot's royal family. Uther, a greedy pig, demanded constant refills of his drink and portions. Morgana delicately refused any food from Merlin. Arthur's blue eyes memorized Gwen's movement as she glided around a wide dining table. Darkness echoed in Morgana's green eyes as she watched Arthur's movements. Merlin clenched his jaw; he remembered carefree days of laughter with Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana. Green sparkling eyes dominated with hope, not hate. Did he create Morgana?

Gwen turned the corner to pour rich red wine in Uther's golden goblet. Merlin noticed too late, an amber gleam in Morgana's eyes. A solitary candle's flames leapt in Gwen's direction; catching a dangling turquoise sleeve. Morgana smirked at Gwen's desperate attempt to beat flames from her burning dress. Arthur threw water at Gwen to douse bright red flames consuming her body. Uther sat looking in disgusted as Gwen's painful screams bounced around a cold chamber.

Merlin uttered a few words under his breath. Dark grey smoke rose from Gwen's tattered dress. Arthur stood silently over Gwen. His large hands stroking her face; uttering soft words to soothe her pain as Gwen laid whimpering in pain. Morgana cried in despair, "My poor Gwen!" Uther bounced from his chair; clutching Morgana in his arms.

"Merlin, get Gaius," Arthur screamed as agony ripped apart his heart. Morgana bit her lips to keep from laughing.

Merlin pressed a cool cloth along Gwen's forehead. Her lips trembled in pain. Elyan held her deeply burned hand as tears rapidly down his brown face. "This is my fault. We should left after Cenred."

Merlin turned his head to watch Gaius as he tossed books around his chamber. Dust flew in the air as the elderly physician attempted to find a remedy to save Gwen's life.

'Gaius."

His white head shook in defeat. "Nothing can save her except magic."

Merlin swallowed nervously. "Magic?"

"Yes, Uther will kill you."

"Yes."

Gaius' face twisted in disgust. "Uther Pendragon, the king of hypocrisy."

Merlin slowly opened Arthur's door. His hertz dropped as he viewed Arthur sitting solitary at his oblong wooden table. Unshed tears glimmering like pond. Arthur's eyes flew to Merlin's. Merlin shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. We can't save her."

Arthur's white hands griped the sides of his table. His chest heaved in pain as he remembered the fell of Gwen's curls along his face. Her gentle voice rang in his ears. The fell of her fingers along his chin His pink lips quivered.

"Is Morgana with her?"

"No."

Tears flew from Arthur's eyes as he shook his head in shock. "Why not?"

"I don't know," Merlin lied. "Shock."

"Of course."

Merlin placed a palm on Arthur's shoulder. "Go to her."

Gawain couldn't believe that his feet led him back to Camelot. He missed Gwen and Merlin; their gentle natures gave him peace. Arthur wasn't a bad person. He would make a kind just king, one day. Gawain's dark eyes scanned the perimeter. He ducked in a bush as cracking twigs filled his ears. An eyebrow arched as Morgana floated by in a cloud of purple velvet. Her dark hair floating in the night. He watched her clasped hands with a beautiful blonde woman. Dark touched his spine as their laughter filled the cool spring night.

"Guinevere is dead, sister."

"How?"

"I set her aflame."

"Yes, Arthur Pendragon's soul is ours. He will never recover from her death."

Gawain's heart clenched as tears dropped from his tightly shut eyes. Sweet Gwen dead at the hands of them? How did this happen?

###

Gwen's burnt hair hung around her face. Arthur listened to her shallow breathing as he held her hand tightly. His tears poured on her face. Gaius turned his worn eyes from the despair in his chamber. Elyan rocked as he cried silently. Merlin stood watching Arthur and Gwen.

"I love you, Guinevere. I will never love another. Camelot will not have a queen. The Pendragons will end with me."

Arthur brushed his lips across Gwen's cheek. He whispered words of love in her ear. Arthur swallowed a cry when Gwen's chest rose for the final time. Her lifeless cold hand slipped from Arthur's grasp.

"Arthur, get up!"

Arthur laid in his soft sheet, wishing for the need to awaken. He saw Gwen everywhere; his eyes longed for a flicker of purple material. Yet, she never came. Instead, Guinevere haunted his dreams. Guinevere, his queen, was lost to him forever.

"No."

Merlin pulled Arthur from his bed; dumping his muscular frame on a gleaming wooden floor."Get dressed. I leave to Ealdor today with Gwen's body."

Merlin convinced Elyan and Arthur to bury Gwen in Ealdor. His mother would place flowers on her grave; Hunith would tend to her spirit. Arthur deny Merlin's request, at first, but he could not bear to live near Gwen's decaying body. Elyan sat in a daze as Merlin made preparations to leave Camelot

Merlin slowly guided his cart from Camelot. He waved to Arthur and Gaius as he departed from their view. Townspeople stood outside their homes, crying and hugging as Merlin left the Lower Town. Their cries haunted his heart.

Merlin's mule kicked dirty along the dusty road. A hot sun beamed on his brow as his eyes scanned the perimeter. A smile curved his face as he spotted Elyan and Gawain standing on the side of the road.

Merlin stopped his mule. Gawain and Elyan pulled the small coffin from the bed of the wagon. Elyan popped the lid. Her chest rose in relief as he saw Gwen's chest rising and falling in a deep sleep.

'"We have to wake her."

Merlin poured a pink liquid from a small glass vial Gwen's still mouth. The men smiled as her eyelids slowly twitched , struggling to open from a deep sleep. Her soft brown skin healed and clear.

"Merlin, what happened?'

Merlin cupped Gwen's chin. "We must go."

Gawain lifted Gwen from her coffin. "Eat, you have a long journey.