Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin, Hunith, Uther, The Knights Of The Roundtable
Summary: Uther is trying to make an alliance thru arthur's marriage again.

PLAN B
PART 1
Arthur breathed a sigh of relief the next morning after Princess Elena and Lord Godwin left for their lands. He was happy until he realized that Uther was quiet, too quiet. That can only mean he was angry or even plotting a new "alliance." He put it out of his mind and went about his duties.

Months later Arthur was surprised when his father called him to his study one day. He knocked and heard his father call "Enter"

Arthur opened the door and walked in after his father bade him to enter. "Father you wished to see me?"

"Ah Arthur. Yes, I wanted to talk to you. Lord Eustace's daughter is of marriageable age and he has been hinting at an alliance with Camelot. I hear that the Lady Hannah is very beautiful." Uther looked at Arthur expecting him to object but Arthur stood still and expressionless. "I have invited them to Camelot. They will be here in a week."

Arthur looks down at the floor inspecting the patterns in the marble. He tries to calm himself before he speaks so as not to give away how angry he is. He looks back up at Uther with a smile plastered to his face. "Father, if you don't mind I'd like to take a hunting trip. I will be back before our esteemed guests arrive."

Uther nods and looks back to the parchment he is holding in his hand. "See that you are. And Arthur make sure when you come back you will be ready to do your duty and be a husband."

"I promise to be ready to be a husband when I return." Arthur turns and leaves closing the door behind him. He takes a deep breath and heads for his chambers.

Entering his chambers he sees Merlin polishing his armor at the table. Merlin stands as he enters and looks at him questioningly.

"Merlin! Call the Roundtable to Guinevere's house at sundown my father is trying to marry me into an alliance again and I will not let it happen." Arthur sits down in the chair behind his desk. Merlin looks at him confused. "Well what are you waiting on?"

Merlin walks up to the desk after wiping the metal polish off his hands. "What are you going to do?"

"Just gather everyone and you'll find out at sundown just like everyone else." Arthur replied without looking up from the stack of parchment that needed his attention.

Merlin hurried to inform everyone of the round table of the meeting. When he had given the message to all the knights and to Gwen, he went to Gaius' chambers to give the message to him as well. As he arrived he heard the king's voice speaking to Gaius.

"So you think I should not force Arthur into this marriage?" Uther says to Gaius.

"Sire, I think you should consider the fact carefully that Arthur has already left one "alliance" at the altar literally. What makes you think he will go along with it this time?"

"He gave me his word that when he returned from this hunting trip he would be ready to be a husband. I think he needs to get his head straight so the he may do what is best for Camelot."

"Of course sire." Gaius responded

"I must see to the plans for our guests myself. I want no problems."

Uther turns and walks out the door. Merlin barely ducks around the corner to keep from being seen. Merlin enters the shared chambers and looks at Gaius with a look that only means there's about to be trouble.

"What is it Merlin?" Seeing the look, Gaius gets a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Arthur has called Roundtable to Gwen's at sundown. It has to do with the marriage." Merlin informed him.

"What is the Roundtable going to do? Throw him a party?" Gaius turned back to his workbench the kings visit had put him behind on his work.

"He wouldn't say. But if I know Arthur he has a plan to get himself out of it. It's almost sundown now we should go."

"Yes well, there ought to be at least one voice of reason there to keep heads cool." Gaius picks up his medicine bag in the pretense of making a house call and heads out the door behind Merlin.

At Gwen's the faint smell of stew and lavender waft out from behind the closed back door as Arthur knocks. He looks around to make sure that no one sees him standing in the alley. Gwen opens the door and waves him in. Arthur sits at the table and puts his head in his hands. "It's happening again."

"What is?" Gwen sits by him on the bench and puts her hand on his arm.

"He wants me to marry. Now it's Lord Eustace's daughter the Lady Hannah. I remember her. We met years ago as children. She has red hair and covered with freckles. Not what I would call beautiful at all." Arthur looks at Gwen with a serious face. "It's time for plan b.'"

Gwen sighs but she knows he's right. Just then the knights come thru the front door and come to sit at the table with Arthur and Gwen." Is anyone hungry?" Gwen gets up and goes to get out bowls for the stew simmering on the hearth.

Merlin and Gaius come through the door. Gaius puts his medicine bag down on the table and takes a seat. Merlin went to help Gwen serve the meal.

"What is this about, you told your father that you were ready to be a husband?" Gaius asked Arthur.

Arthur looked up. "That's what I said. Because when I return to Camelot I will be. Guinevere and I have been talking about what we can do about this and we have come up with a plan. We are going to elope."

"Arthur, your father will be angry not to mention Lord Eustace is a powerful ally of Camelot. I suppose we are here to help you pull this off. Have you really thought this through?" Gaius looked at Arthur.

"Gaius I can't ask you to go against Father, but I can ask you to keep our plans a secret. The only thing I ask of you is to keep a watch on my father. Could you do this for us?" Arthur pleads.

"Gaius, please, do this for us. Last time it tore our hearts out and it was very embarrassing to Princess Elena, I'm sure. Uther will never give Arthur and me permission to marry." Gwen sits two bowls on the table in front of Elyan and Percival.

"You know that if I refuse again, Father will just keep trying and all the allies will be insulted."

"I will watch him but I do not want to know the details of this plan so I will leave now before I know too much." Gaius stands and walks to the door. Gwen hugs him and he pats her cheek. "I will keep your secret don't worry Gwen." Gaius leaves and walks back to his chambers.

Arthur takes a deep breath. "The plan is for me to take a hunting trip to the northern border to 'clear my head'. Elyan you will leave with your sister for Ealdor tonight and wait for us. Leon and Merlin will accompany me first thing in the morning. Merlin will write a letter to his mother to seek her help. Gwaine, Percival and Lancelot you will stay here and meet us in a week at the cave in the Darkling Woods. I will leave Gwen with you there and then Leon, Elyan, Merlin and I will continue to Camelot and I will face my father."

Merlin sits bowls in front of Lancelot and Gwaine. "Why are you leaving Gwen at the cave?" Merlin asked as he sat a bowl in front of Arthur and sat down with one of his own.

"I will tell father and when he assures me that no harm will come to her I will send for her and you will bring her to Camelot. If he will not guarantee her safety then I will give instructions to Gwaine of what to do if I don't send for her." Arthur explained.

'Wait you have a plan for that too?" Merlin asked as he dips a piece of bread in his bowl.

"Of course I do Merlin." Arthur looks at Merlin with annoyance. "How soon can you be ready Guinevere?

"Well after I clear all this up it should take about an hour to prepare."

"Merlin will clear up. You just get prepared. Lancelot, I want you to take Elyan's patrols tomorrow until arrangements can be made for his replacement. Percival and Gwaine, you keep an eye out for my father. Make sure he doesn't send the guard after us. " Arthur takes another piece of bread.

"More bread?" Gwen sits another loaf of bread on the table and sits down to eat. "I'll get packing after I eat. I've been starving all day." Arthur smiled and nodded.

Elyan looked up from his bowl. "What about horses?"

"Take what you need and an extra for Hunith. The magistrate is a half day's ride away according to Merlin. When I get to Ealdor we will ride there and make arrangements to stay for the night. There is an inn in that town, isn't there Merlin?" Arthur looked over at him.

"Yes, actually there is a nice one and a tavern too." Merlin reached for more bread.

"Good! Now, we just have to get packed and set the plan in motion. Gwen what is in this stew? It's very good." Arthur looks in the bowl trying to figure it out.

"It's pigeon. I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure you would since you are usually a picky eater." Gwen smiled at him.

"I am not. I eat Merlin's excuse for food all the time." Arthur dipped his spoon in again.

"Hey I only fed you rat that one time." Merlin protested.

"You fed him rat?" Gwen giggled.

"Yes, he did and I should have put him in the stocks for it." Arthur looked at her. "I'm glad you find that amusing."

"Oh I do." Gwen giggled even harder.

Merlin starts to clear up the meal as the Knights finish. They go back to the castle. Elyan stays to help Gwen pack food and wine for the journey. Then Elyan leaves to pack and change for himself.

Arthur and Merlin leave and to let Gwen change and finish packing to leave.

An hour later Arthur watched from his window as Elyan and Gwen rode off toward Ealdor.