Chapter Two

By the end of the evening, Lancelot and Guinevere had been restrained in the castle dungeons. They were on separate floors and ignored. The life they had became accustomed too had vanished, the guards barely looked at them as they threw bread and cheese into their cages. Lancelot refused to eat, had spat out bitter words of hatred for Arthur, for Merlin and for every other so called friend who had stood by as his lover was sentenced to death, and he sentenced to banishment. Gwen however, had simply cried. She had once loved Arthur with all her heart, she had pined for Lancelot for he had been her first love, maybe her truest love, but Arthur had been there when her Knight had not. Her affection for him had grown, right up until Lancelot returned; family in toe. She didn't fear dying; she feared dying before she could explain to Arthur.

When the moon had fully risen and the castle had taken to its chambers, Merlin had crept from his new rooms and walked with practiced speed and silence toward the lower floors. A little magic and the guards were unconscious, he reached Lancelot's cell first.

"Come to gloat, Merlin?" He hissed; it was so unlike him that Merlin had doubled-back and then frowned.

"When have I ever gloated at you, Lancelot?"

"I have nothing to say to you. What kind of husband sentences his own wife to death?"

"What kind of husband cheats on his wife and small child... With his best friend's wife?" Merlin countered before wrapping his large, pale hand around the lock. It clicked and the door creaked open a fraction. With three strides, the Warlock crossed the room and did the same to the restraints that held the Knight to the brick wall.

Lancelot rubbed at his wrists and stared curiously at his old friend. "What are you doing? Did... Did he send you?"

Before Merlin could answer, another voice answered with a hollow tone. "No. He did not." Both men turned to find Arthur stood in the arch, keys in hand. Merlin smiled, perhaps he should have let things take their course after all, he should have known even jealousy would not make Arthur kill the only person he had ever loved, or the person that his wife loved.

"I should have known you couldn't keep your nose out, Merlin." The King sighed, weary and tired before turning sharply and walking down the corridor to the flight of stairs... Toward Gwen's cell.

The Warlock and Knight-turned-Traitor followed. Even Lancelot had the sense not to comment or continue his rant against Arthur's unjustness as they passed down two flights of stairs and several rows of cells until finally stopping at one near the very end. It could perhaps even had been on the same level as the old prison the Dragon had once housed all those years ago. Merlin was shocked to realise that there was not even a window down here and that Gwen was shrouded in flickering candle and torch light. He heard Arthur sigh loudly and with so much despair it was heartbreaking.

Gwen looked up, shocked to see the three visitors and bowed her head again as she stifled another sob. Arthur turned the lock quickly and walked into the room with such power and dignity that Merlin felt instantly proud. Even in the face of the biggest betrayal of his life, even bigger than that of realising Merlin's true nature, Arthur Pendragon could still act composed. Gwen wasn't chained to the wall and she was sat on a wooden bench, head down and shaking quite visibly; perhaps both from sobs and fear. Arthur reached out to her and stroked her curly hair gently and Merlin had to grab Lancelot's hand to stop him darting forward.

The King knelt down and Gwen raised her pretty dark face to meet his eyes.
"I'm so sorry." She sobbed and reached out to cup his face in her shaking hands. "I'm so sorry. I deserve to die for what I've done to you but I'm sorry."

Merlin saw the way Arthur cringed, he knew he forgave her and knew he did not want to see her die. That had been why Merlin had come down here, he knew Arthur was forced to act accordingly but that it killed him to see his wife dragged to the dungeons and it killed him to spot people building her pyre. He really should not have underestimated his friend. The King shook his head, his lower lip protruding as he pursed his lips in thought. Finally he spoke and whispered.

"I left you so often, I should have been better."

"No. Arthur you are wonderful, you made me proud to be your wife and I have no explanation for what I did to you, to Camelot."

Merlin turned away when he noticed Arthur was crying, his head was bent and resting in Gwen's lap as she sobbed and stroked his blond hair. Lancelot coughed and Arthur straightened up and then stood. With a hand held toward Gwen he pulled her up and took her to the door, pushing past the sorcerer and Lancelot.

"This key opens a trap door behind the old armoury and it comes out in the lower town. There is a horse waiting for you there and my servant has your clothes and gold. There is enough there to see you through for at least a year, I cannot get more without arousing suspicion."

Gwen looked puzzled but took the key and the closed her eyes and leaned into Arthur's hand which rested on her cheek. When she nodded he removed his head and slid it down her arm.

"You must ride as far North as you can go, past the wall, right into Northumbria... Cross the sea's if you have to. I have many enemies and they will happily strike at you to get to me. I need you to be safe!"

She let out a choked sob and Merlin dared a look at Lancelot. He had his head bowed and the sorcerer knew he was rethinking and regretting all he had said against the King. How could anyone doubt Arthur intentions now? When Arthur; still holding his wife's hand, continued back up the flight of stairs and presumably to the armoury to get the couple there safely. Merlin turned toward the lock and closed it, before reopening it with magic. If anyone asked about the disappearance of the two, he'd own up to it quite happily, no one in Camelot was stupid enough to demand he be killed for Treason, not when it meant it was likely the King would die too, last thing Arthur needed was to be fought with over loving Gwen too much.

The corridors were empty as he walked through them, all except the sleeping guards that he stepped over without evening blinking. Arthur would want to be alone and so he walked the rest of the way through the castle, down the stone steps and through the courtyard. He reached the lower town at the same time that Lancelot was helping Gwen onto the horse. They both stilled and Lancelot grabbed his sword at the sound of the approach.

"It's me." Merlin called, stepping into the light of the moon. Gwen let out another sob and within seconds was back on the ground.

"Merlin..." She grabbed him and despite the anger he felt toward her at that particular moment, he felt his arms wrap around her instantly. His eyes closed and he sighed deeply. Gwen was the first person he'd met in Camelot who hadn't treated him like a leper; the first person to smile at him sweetly and treat him with respect. She, even after being named Queen, had treated him like her best friend. He would miss her more than he had missed Morgana after she left, even Gaius. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I'm sorry."

They stood on the dirty road, arms around each other, eyes closed against the tears and rocking side to side, unable to say goodbye until Lancelot grabbed Gwen's shoulder. "You heard him, we have to go. The sun will be up soon."

Merlin nodded and let go of Gwen. "Wait, here... Take this." He pulled a ring from his pocket. It was made of silver and in the middle; an orange jewel sat. "It's an amulet; it protects and heals if you wear it. It'll keep you safe." It was her turn to nod and after kissing him on the cheek, their combined mixture of tears making it sloppy and wet, then turned and pulled herself back on the horse. Lancelot got on a second one that had been further back than the Queen's.

"Thank you, Merlin." Lancelot sounded sombre. "I... Can you... Galahad?"

"He's safe."

The pair rode off and Merlin watched before heading back to the warmth of the castle...