Chapter 2
Arthur and Merlin find Gwaine drinking in the tavern.
"Heeeeeeeey! Look who it issssss! The KING! I feel sooooooo bleeeessssed!" slurred Gwaine. It was pretty obvious he had had a few too many pints and would probably need help walking, let alone going on a quest. That would be, if it was anyone other than Gwaine. He could outdrink the best and still walk away smiling. Unfortunately, he also tended to get into more bar fights than the average person, but everyone has their faults.
"Gwaine, I need to talk to you. In private, please," whispered Arthur.
"Oooooooh! The KING needs to talk to me in PRIIIIIIVAAAAATE!" Gwaine shouted.
Arthur looked around embarrassed and noticed a couple people were staring at them, and they were gradually attracting a crowd.
"That's it. Come on Gwaine, I think you've had enough for one night. Merlin, come help me!" demanded Arthur.
"An escort! Awwwwwww, you shouldn't haaaaaave!" It seemed to Arthur that Gwaine was purposely trying to make this look awkward, which, knowing Gwaine, he probably was. By this time, their little "conversation" had attracted to attention of almost everyone in the tavern.
"Come on Gwaine!" yelled Merlin, who was getting a bit impatient.
If only I could use my magic, I could have Gwaine out like a light and we wouldn't even have this problem, but noooooo! The greatest king of Camelot that ever was who was SUPPOSED to bring about the age of magic again still insists on persecuting everyone with magic, even the Druids! I've never seen a Druid hurt ANYTHING! It seems that nothing has changed…
Together, Arthur and Merlin managed to drag Gwaine outside of the tavern, though not without a few odd looks and shoves.
"Why do you insist on drinking this much every night?! What will Jules say this time?!" reminded Merlin, talking about Juliana, Gwaine's girlfriend of two years. They made a cute couple, though how she put up with his drinking and childish attitude escaped Merlin and pretty much everyone who knew Gwaine. Since they started dating, Gwaine's drinking had significantly lessened, and she kept him in check most of the time, but since she was a servant, she had many duties and had been out of town for four days since she was sent out with the border patrol.
Merlin knew Gwaine was anxious for her to come back and would jump at the chance to go with them to find her, if he could only get Gwaine to stop babbling long enough to tell him their plan.
"Gwaine! Stop pulling my shoe off! People are staring!" Arthur yelled, his face turning bright red when he turned and saw that people were coming out of the tavern to see what all the yelling was about.
Merlin hurried over to help Arthur and together they dragged Gwaine out of town into the woods.
"Will you just listen to me for a MINUTE?! Is that too much to ask?" yelled an increasingly irritated Arthur.
"Okaaaaaay, keep your pants on," sang Gwaine.
"You are so weird, Gwaine," commented Merlin.
"Thank you."
"Okaaaay. Merlin and I are going out to find Titania and the rest of the border patrol. We, well Merlin, wants you to come along."
"Why should I? After all, you did just drag me out of a tavern against my will!" Gwaine shouted, the anger sobering him up faster than any potion.
"Because, Gwaine, Juliana is with them, and they've been gone for almost five days now on what should have been an overnight patrol to Cenred's kingdom. I'm worried about my knights, and I'm sure you're worried about Juliana," explained Arthur.