Gambling
A little one shot about their gambling problem.
Renaissancebooklover108 and Night girl98 both commented on the fact that they all have a gambling problem, which they do.
Hope you like it :)
"We have something we need to talk to you about."
Gaius and Geoffrey of Monmouth turned to each other then back to the 4 young adults in front of them.
"Sire what do you wish to talk to us about?" Geoffrey said.
The 4 adults looked at each other before Arthur gestured Merlin on.
"Gambling." Merlin said. "We have all got a gambling problem. It may be on little things but we cannot stop ourselves."
"Gwen's the worst." Arthur injected.
"I am not the worst." Gwen squealed.
Arthur turned to his wife and queen.
"You bet me that Amhar would walk before Gareth did."
"That's harmless."
"What about when you bet me that you could steal more cakes from the cook? Wasn't that a 100 gold coins wager." Merlin said turning slightly to look at Gwen.
"Merlin!" Morgana was shocked at how far this problem went. She knew that the others were worst than her but not that bad.
"Yes and I won that fair and square."
"I'm sorry but have you called us to help you with your gambling problem." Geoffrey said.
"Yes we will run the kingdom dry if we don't stop. Even if it is to each other." Arthur said.
Merlin, Gwen and Morgana all looked at each other. "Umm, Arthur that may not be true."
"Why?" Arthur was intrigued now.
"I … um … I owe money to … um Galahad." Merlin said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh what about that 1000 gold coins and 2 silk dresses that you owe Mithian, Morgana?" Gwen said.
"Gwen, I thought that we said that we would never speak of that again." Morgana said through clenched teeth.
"Morgana, and you say I am bad." Merlin said. "What bet did you lose?"
"One about who could kill the biggest animal while out hunting. Mine was only slightly smaller. I believe that she cheated anyway."
The two older men looked at each other.
"How long has this being going on for?" Gaius said They all looked hesitant.
"Since Merlin and Morgana's engagement." Arthur said slowly.
"That was 6 years ago!"
Everyone looked hesitant to comfirm that. Merlin had decided that the groove in the table was the most interesting thing in the world, Morgana her nails, Gwen the little bit of cotton that had come lose from her dress and Arthur the ceiling.
Gaius sighed. "Lets get this sorted. So how much to do owe and who to?" Gains said getting out a piece of paper and ink to write everything down.
All the adults pretended that they didn't hear Gaius.
"Right then, if you are going to play it that way. Merlin you go first."
Merlin's head shot up. "Why me?"
"Just do it." Gaius glared at him.
Merlin took a deep sigh. "I owe Arthur 2000 gold coins, Gwen 1000 gold coins, Galahad 300 gold coins, Gwaine 500 gold coins and a tankard of mead and Morgana 5000 gold coins, 4 silk dresses and 5 jugs of wine." Merlin said.
"Merlin!" Gaius said.
"What? I have picked up their habits, I cannot help it. Although could you help me."
Gaius glared at him, raising his eyebrow, then turned to Morgana.
"I owe Gwen 1000 gold coins, Arthur 2500 gold coins, Gwaine 3 tankards of mead, Mithian 1000 gold coins and 2 silk dresses and Merlin 100 gold coins, 6 tankards of mead, 3 neckerchiefs and one night of pleasure." Morgana said.
"Wasn't it two nights?" Merlin said raising his eyebrow.
"Yes but I thought we had agreed that last night was one of them." Morgana said giving him her signature smirk.
"You better add another 100 gold coins on to what you owe me." Gwen whispered to Arthur.
Gaius glared at the royals before gesturing Arthur to say his.
"I owe Merlin 3000 gold coins and a neckerchief, Morgana 5000 gold coins and 3 silk dresses, Gwaine 300 gold coins and 8 tankards of mead, Mordred 800 gold coins and a new sword and Gwen 7500 gold coins, 8 silk dresses, 10 jugs of wine and 2 new horses." Arthur said.
"You two like to bet don't you?" Morgana said shaking her head at them.
Gaius sighed then gestured Gwen to say hers, hoping it wasn't as bad as they had made out to be.
"I owe Merlin 4000 gold coins, 5 neckerchiefs and a tankard of ale, Morgana 3600 gold coins, 4 silk dresses and 4 jugs of wine, Gwaine 1000 gold coins, 2 nights worth of mead and 3 new swords, Mordred 2000 gold coins, 3 new horses and 5 new swords, Mithian and Elena a silk dress each and Arthur 6400 gold coins, 5 new horses, 4 nights worth of mead, 7 new swords and 4 nights full of pleasure." Gwen said.
"Wait how has Gwaine got out of this conversation as well? We have all bet with him and lost to him."
"Because Gwaine is only a knight. Knights are allowed to gamble, not ladies of the court." Gaius said sending a glare to both Gwen and Morgana.
"No I think that we should get him in here." Arthur said with a smile.
"So Gwaine what do you owe? Have you going insane like these have?"
"Ummm, I owe Merlin 6000 gold coins, 5 neckerchiefs, 2 nights down the tavern and my sword, Morgana 7500 gold coins, 7 silk dresses, 10 jugs of wine and a day training with the knights, Arthur 10000 gold coins, 5 nights down the tavern, 4 swords and a whole new armour set, Gwen 10000 gold coins, 10 silk dresses, 14 jugs of wine and 3 horses and Mordred 15000 gold coins, 10 swords, 7 nights down the tavern, 3 new sets of armour and 5 horses."
Gaius and Geoffrey looked at each other.
"How can you do this to yourselves?"
"What gamble or get into debt?" Merlin asked.
"BOTH!" Gaius and Geoffrey shouted together.
"Its fun, to put a wager on something." Arthur put into the conversation.
"Merlin and I are too stubborn that we put wagers on who is right and it is usually me." Morgana said.
"No it isn't." Merlin said looking at his wife.
"Oh yes it is Merlin." Morgana turned to Gaius. "See stubborn."
"It just fun." Gwaine added.
"Please help us." Merlin pleaded turning to looked at his old mentor.
"Merlin you owe 8800 gold coins, a tankard of mead, 4 silk dresses and 5 jugs of wine. Most of it to your wife." Merlin bowed his head in shame.
Gaius turned to Morgana. "You owe 4600 gold coins, 9 tankards of mead, 2 silk dresses, 3 neckerchiefs and one night of pleasure." Morgana slumped slightly in her chair.
Gaius turned to the king. "Arthur you owe 16600 gold coins, 11 silk dresses, 8 tankards of mead, 10 jugs of wine, 2 horses and a sword." The young king never really felt shameful but even he felt the shame eating away at him.
"Gwen my dear, what have they got you into? You owe 17000 gold coins, 5 neckerchiefs, 6 silk dresses, a tankard of ale, 6 nights worth of mead, 4 jugs of wine, 15 swords, 3 horses and 4 nights of pleasure." Gwen face reddened at what was being read out to her.
"Gwaine, you owe 48500 gold coins, 5 neckerchiefs, 17 silk dresses, 4 sets of armour, 14 nights down the tavern, 14 sword and your own sword, a day training with the knights and 8 horses. Gwaine how did that happen?"
"I am obvoiusly not good at winning."
"This is a big problem that cannot carry on." Geoffrey said.
"That's why we called you. We knew that we were getting out of hand but didn't know how to stop it." Arthur said.
"We all have a gambling problem."
"There is the first step. Admit there is a problem to begin with."
Everyone turned to Geoffrey.
"What it's true."
"You are going to pay all the money you owe back then we will put a close this chapter hopefully." Gaius said sighing at the list of items in front of him.
It may have taken them a few months but they had managed to pay off their debts.
The four adults sat down and watched their children play. Gorlois may be quite a bit older than his sibling and cousins but he enjoyed it. Probably made him feel like the leader of the group.
"I bet that they will all stay friends." Morgana said.
"What's the wager?" Arthur said.
Merlin and Gwen turned to each other.
This better not be them going off again.