AN: I own nothing but can claim the same nationality as Eoin (Gwaine) and Colin (Merlin) who's from my county of Armagh!
Over the past year, things had changed in Camelot. Morgana's short reign was brutal and many had suffered. But the people of Camelot were strong and tough and managed to rebuild their homes, bury their dead and allow life to restore itself to how it was before. Whilst life in the town continued as usual; life in the castle had changed. Arthur had to become the Regent Prince and as Morgana was no longer around, Gwen was now the maid for Uther.
Uther Pendragon was a broken man. The betrayal by his daughter had destroyed him. Uther initially felt nothing but remorse. If he had told her the truth, would it have made a difference? If he'd accepted her as his daughter instead of his ward, would she have been tempted into joining Morgause? Could he have stopped his people from being hurt and killed? His guilt manifested itself and Uther began to shut down. Everyday he sat in the chair and watched from his window. He barely ate and he barely slept. Gaius had to feed him a potion every three days when he slept just to keep the king alive. Time passed but it also seemed to have stopped for the once-powerful king. Then that fateful day when the spirits attacked and Arthur left. For the first time since Morgana's betrayal, did he speak.
"Don't go,"
But Arthur went anyway.
Ever since the takeover, Gwen now served the king. Initially she refused to even consider it. Uther had had her father put to death as well as accused her of witchcraft just a few weeks beforehand. If it hadn't had been for Arthur finding that sorcerer… Gwen didn't like to think about it. It was only when Arthur, Merlin and Gaius took her to see the practically comatose king; did she agree. Gwen's kind nature couldn't refuse to help anyone; even the king who once inspired such fear into the kingdom during the Great Purge. Initially she went about her duties but after a few days, she began to speak to him. Uther never answered but she did it anyway. Uther needed to know about any developments within Camelot. He may be locked away in his own world, but he was still the king.
Whenever the spirits began attacking the castle, Gwen had rushed to the king's chambers and stood awake the whole night with a torch in her hand, ready to save them both. She had cried the next morning when she spotted the bodies and the refugees. She overheard Arthur telling his father what he intended to do. Part of her wanted to yell at him to stay; another part of her wanted to slap him for risking his life but the reasonable part of her mind reminded her of all the different states of danger Arthur managed to get himself into.
And she knew he'd be alright.
Gwen came into Uther's room with a plate of food. "Good afternoon Sire, I brought you some dinner from the kitchen." Gwen said kindly, setting down the plate. Uther didn't reply or break his gaze from the window.
"Sire you need to eat. Camelot needs its king." Gwen pressed, setting the plate onto the table.
Uther didn't reply, he stared blankly at the window. Gwen glanced towards it. "Arthur will find a way to end this. He and the knights have defeated worse monsters than this." Gwen reassured.
She couldn't exactly think of anything stronger than the spirits who killed with a single touch but she believed in them. All of them. She knew that Arthur wouldn't quit until the battle was won. That Leon knew battle strategies like no other. That Lancelot, Percival and Gwaine laughed in the face of death. She knew her brother Elyon would survive. She warned him that if he died, then she'd kill him. And Merlin, Merlin seemed to find a solution to any problem, no matter what.
Gwen got up and began to tidy the already spotless room just to keep herself occupied and to keep her mind off the alternatives. She had been friends with Morgana and had worked for her since she was thirteen. How could she not have seen how much she had changed until she saw Morgana talking to Morgause in the market? Had she been naïve or just didn't bother to dig deeper? Gwen shook her head and took a rag to the windows under the pretence of wiping them but keeping an eye out for when the knights returned. When Gwen turned around, Uther still hadn't moved and Gwen picked up a fork and knelt down. Uther refused to eat by himself. Sometimes he had to be offered food like a baby and occasionally he took it but most of them time he simply stared through her.
"You need to keep your strength up Sire. If not for yourself then at least for Arthur." Gwen insisted offering the forkful of meat to Uther.
Uther simply looked through her as Gwen sighed and set the plate back onto the table. It was the third day, she needed to tell Gaius to prepare the potion again. As she got to her feet Uther suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist and looked directly at her.
"You're a good girl." He whispered.
Gwen gave a wan smile as she left his chamber. It wasn't much but it meant something to her.
Even though she didn't know for definite that he would someday be her father-in-law.