Author's note : Thanks for the reviews :) Here goes a brand new chapter. Actually it's a part of a brand new chapter: what happened is I wrote that on the train from London to Brussels (while staring lovingly at my newly acquired DVD box or Merlin :p) in a notebook. Which means that I have to type it all. The bad news is I didn't get round to type the entire chapter, the good is one is I'm sending this part anyhow and you are sure there's more in a notebook somewhere, only a keyboard away. And now it's time to stop telling my life. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

When Merlin is away, the anger will stay

Two amber colored eyes were staring at him, two pools of blazing melted gold.

'Here you go, all better'

"Lord Arthur …"

'I'll give you a reason to be incoherent'

"Lord Arthur"

Lips. Masculine, strong lips.

"Lord Arthur!"

The prince opened his eyes so suddenly that the light blinded him for a moment. He wasn't really sure where the dream stopped and the reality started as everything was blurry around him, but soon the yellow glow cleared and he was met with a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes that were looking reverently at him.

"What happened?" he managed to ask, his head still dizzy from the rude awakening.

"Sire, you were asleep", Guinevere proudly answered as if she were providing him with vital information.

"I can see that", he snapped.

He slowly pushed himself off the chair he had visibly fallen asleep on, rubbing his stiff neck.

"I meant why did I fall asleep?" he pressed.

The girl watched him carefully as if he had contracted a rare case of brain flu that might be contagious. It was the second time this very day that his mental health had been questioned by a servant, and though Guinevere had tried to hide her expression, he was crossed enough to make a mental note to teach her some manners some day (preferably when Morgana was away).

"You didn't sleep well enough last night?" Gwen ventured, not exactly sure what the prince wanted to hear. Obviously not that, if the frown on his face was any indication. What the girl didn't (and couldn't) realize was that for one silly moment, Arthur had thought she knew. But the grimace quickly disappeared as he remembered nobody could peek into one's dreams (or so he hoped).

"Right, exactly" he finally agreed and Gwen gave him a grin filled with the enthusiasm of a pupil that has just passed a test.

"Would you like me to fetch Gaius or to ask him for an elixir against tiredness?" she asked, obviously keen on fulfilling her destiny as a perfect servant now that she had already done one thing right.

Arthur answered "NO" so loudly and fervently that Gwen jumped. "That won't be necessary", he added, more softly.

The servant girl looked like she wanted to bolt but she didn't, she stayed put and waited. For what? Arthur wasn't quite sure.

"Gwen …?" His voice trailed off in confusion. He looked at her pointedly, raised an eyebrow than cast a signifying glance at the door.

Guinevere didn't move, and Arthur considered robbing Merlin of his "dumbest servant ever" crown. He tapped his foot against the stone floor to get her attention and jerked his head in the direction of the door with so much force he almost gave himself a whiplash. It was no use as Gwen's feet remained glued to the carpet, but at least he had elicited some reaction: he could see the wheels turning in her head (hell, he could almost hear them). Something apparently clicked because her eyes went wide with recognition and she exclaimed: "That's right, you don't know!", and continued: "I've been asked to make sure you attended tonight's celebration, it was feared you would forget. I'm at your service this evening."

"Well, praise the lord" Arthur snickered "for my servant is good for nothing."

The prince shrugged out of his current jacket, knowing very well that the hunting clothes he had on wouldn't do for a celebration (What had to be celebrated again? He couldn't remember).

"Pour me some water, will you Gwen?"

"Right away sir" the servant answered, already halfway to the jug.

"It was very thoughtful of my father" Arthur said, more to himself than to the girl "he must have thought Merlin wouldn't do his job." He snorted. "Not that it was a wild guess. I wonder …" his voice trailed off as he noticed the color rising in Gwen's cheeks.

"What is it?" he asked, confused. He had only taken off his jacket, he knew he was handsome but that wasn't enough to provoke a blush, was it? How would she manage to dress him?

"Nothing, it's just that you are mistaken sire, I'm not sent by your father."

"Then by whom"

"I can't say"

"Sure you can"

"Nobody of consequence"

"Gui-ne-ve-re!"

"I promised not to say anything!" Gwen pleaded.

"And I order you to break that promise"

"Please don't say I told you … This morning Merlin …"

"Merlin! Of course" Arthur shouted throwing his hands in the air as a sign of exasperation, looking two inches away from killing the messenger.

"Please listen" Gwen continued, hoping what she had to say would appease the prince. "He just asked Lady Morgana to send me to you because for some unrevealed reason he couldn't be at your service today. He wanted to make sure you would be attended to …"

"Attended to?" Arthur shrieked in outrage.

"Well he actually said 'taken care of' …" she offered, but the murderous glint in Arthur's eyes only seemed to grow. "He just wanted to do well; he knew you would need someone to help."

"And who is he to say what I need?" Arthur was fuming. "Thank you Gwen but you're dismissed, I don't need your assistance, go back to combing my dear Morgana's hair and do make sure Merlin knows our next conversation won't be pleasant!"

"But sire …"

Arthur cut her off: "Did I ask for your opinion?"

"No sire" Gwen answered, bowing her head. Arthur had never been so royal with her and, though known for her bravery, she was scared by the intensity of the prince's anger.

"Go", he ordered.

Gwen fled the room and Arthur muttered "I can dress myself, thank you very much."

If only he knew how wrong he was.

TBC

I hope I'll always be able to update so soon but my winter break is just over and I'm back at the university. So, though I solemnly swear each minute of my spare time will be dedicated to Merlin and Arthur, I can't be sure there'll be enough time to spare :p