When Gwaine awoke the next morning his sister was still sleeping soundly next to him on the small bed, he dressed quickly to avoid getting to cold as the fire had died during the night. He was building it back up when Elizabeth awoke her smile as was bright as ever.

"Hey there." He said.

"Good Morning." She replied.

She rolled on to her back and quickly regretted it. Gwaine stopped what he was doing and went to her. He helped her to sit up as she was having difficulty.

"You okay?" he asked.

She didn't answer; he could tell that she was hiding something. He sat down next to her and pulled up the back of her shirt.

"What happened?" he asked in shock at seeing long red welts several of which had grown infected.

"King Evan's guards wanted information on Camelot." She said softly.

He had seen Merlin treat wounds similar to these before, he needed to do something. Maybe he would risk asking Gaius to come up and see her. He didn't know who to trust with her life because he had told no one in Camelot of her existence. He trusted Merlin more than anyone but this was just too big of a risk.

After treating her wounds he helped her to lay down to rest and made her promise that she wouldn't leave his chambers until he came back. Gwaine had told the servants that served the knights that he didn't need any help today; he didn't want anyone finding Elizabeth in his chambers. He needed to speak to King Arthur; only help at the highest level would provide what he needed.

It was midmorning when Gwaine found Arthur with his new Queen, Gwen in the great hall greeting a group of visiting nobles. Gwaine had forgotten all about the nobles in the surprise of Elizabeth's appearance. He quietly crept into the hall; thankfully he had taken the time to dress the part so he wouldn't look out of place. Merlin was leaning against a nearby pillar watching the affair; Gwaine went to his friend hoping that Merlin wouldn't make a fuss about his tardiness. He could see Sirs Leon, Percival and Elyan near the front of the court.

"Hey Gwaine," said Merlin as Gwaine approached him.

"Who are they?" he asked softly trying not to be noticed.

"Lord Tennyson and Lady Anne, they are here to write a peace treaty after the boarder skirmish with King Evan a few weeks ago."

Gwaine didn't take the news well; if either of them saw Elizabeth they would both be dead. He had to keep her safe no matter what. This was up to him, he could trust no one other than himself with this, and she was too precious to him. Going to Arthur know was even more risk than he was willing to take.

Gwaine quickly returned to his chambers, Elizabeth had fallen back asleep on his bed. So he sat down to watch her sleep while he sharpened his sword, and tended to his armor. It kept his hands busy as he tried to figure out what to do about hiding Elizabeth until after the nobles from King Evan had departed. Hopefully the negations wouldn't take too long.

For three days Elizabeth remained in Gwaine's chambers day and night, while a peace treaty was hashed out regarding a small tract of land along the northern edge of the kingdom. Gwaine did what was necessary to keep suspicion to a minimum, showing up for training, taking some guard duty, and attending the banquet all while tending to Elizabeth. The banquet had not gone as well as one could have hoped, Gwaine did something stupid in the middle of the banquet when Lord Tennyson had made some very pointed statements that he knew were directed at him. He pulled his sword on Lord Tennyson; it had taken Leon, Percival, and Elyan to drag him from the great hall. Arthur had simply said that he would deal with him later. He had no plans to tell Elizabeth was had happened. Elizabeth took being confined to the small space really well; Gwaine was scared that she would start to go stir crazy. Elizabeth did not like to sit around and wait; she was a woman of action. Gwaine believed that maybe carrying a child had calmed her down some but he could also see that she was still recovering from her journey to Camelot. Her wounds had started to heal but that she took a turn for the worst just before the nobles departed, she fell ill. Gwaine didn't know what to do, Elizabeth just asked him to leave her be, she would be fine for a while longer at least until King Evan's party was a good distance from Camelot. Then it happened, Arthur called for a hunting trip.

Gwaine sat by the fire that Merlin had built when they made camp on the first night of one of Arthur's hunting trips. He had wanted to remain at the castle with Elizabeth she was not doing well, she had taken ill recently but she didn't want anyone's help for fear of being found and returned to King Evan. He understood her fears. He hadn't even tried to get out of the trip because he already knew that his fellow knights had suspected that something was up because he had been acting very odd. He had been avoiding the tavern, and keeping to himself. He wanted to tell Arthur but he didn't know how to go about it, Arthur had made it very clear that after the ordeal with Lord Tennyson he was not happy with Gwaine. They were at a stale mate, Gwaine kept his mouth shut for fear of saying something he shouldn't which he was fairly sure would only raise more suspicion. Thankfully everyone just let him be.

The knights returned with the king from the hunting trip, as they entered the court yard a group of guards approached Sir Gwaine and pulled him rudely from his steed. He was then dragged before the king by Lord Agravain.

"Sire, Sir Gwaine is charged with behavior unbecoming of a Knight." He paused.

This statement didn't shock anyone, he wasn't the typical knight. He didn't behave like an upstanding knight but he could fight with the best of them and he was fiercely loyal to those he cared for.

"He was keeping a mistress, a pregnant mistress none the less, within these castle walls."

He was taken from the courtyard without a word. He didn't even trip to escape the grasp of the palace guard as they hauled him away. This shocked his fellow knights and Merlin who watched as he was taken away. Arthur did not notice, he was seeking out Gwen who stood waiting for him on the stairs.

Merlin was done with his duties, dismissed by Arthur who was in an off mood, and returned to his room with in Gaius's chambers. Something just didn't sit right with him as he settled in for what was to be a short night of sleep. Gwaine had been on edge the entire hunting trip; it was like he hadn't wanted to go in the first place, was it because he was scared that someone would find the young woman he had been keeping in his chambers. Gwaine may have been known for his love of mead and his love of the ladies but he was never known for this type of behavior. Gwaine had the utmost respect for woman and treated them kindly. He would never do anything like he was being charged with as far as Merlin was concerned. Unable to sleep Merlin tossed back the blankets and set about getting some answers.

Merlin used his skills to sneak down to the dungeons where Gwaine and the young woman where being kept. He had questions, he needed answers, and the only person who could give him that was Gwaine. Hopefully he would be more cooperative; he had been hell to deal with on the hunting trip. He stopped for a moment and looked into the cell where the young woman was being held, she lay on her side shivering on the small blanket she had been given to sleep on. He smiled realizing that she had a kind face, and did not show the traits of a commoner. He did not wait, he quickly moved on to Gwaine's cell. He stood pacing his cell, working off nervous energy and trying to keep warm for although he still wore his armor his wool cloak had been taken from him as it indicated that he was a knight of Camelot.

"How is she?" asked Gwaine.

"Asleep from the looks of it." Said Merlin.

"Good, she needs to rest, she was ill when we left for the hunting trip." Said Gwaine.

"Who is she?" asked Merlin.

"Someone very important to me." Replied Gwaine. "She is not my mistress if that is what you are thinking."

"I am not thinking anything other than you are acting very odd."

"She came to me looking for help after the death of her husband, she came to me so that she wouldn't be killed by King Evan but now she will die at the hands of Arthur."

That was the end of the conversation; Merlin knew that Gwaine would say no more.

Three mornings later Merlin was in the service of Arthur, just as he was everyday but today they didn't have a long list of things ahead. There were no visiting nobles, no meetings to attend and no hunting trips had been planned. The only thing on today's agenda was Gwaine's sentencing which had Arthur on edge and made him rather hard to deal with but hey Merlin was use to it.

"Merlin, what is bothering you?" asked Arthur.

"Nothing sire." He responded continuing to fold Arthur's clothing.

"Now I know something is wrong," he said getting up from his desk. "What is wrong Merlin?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"You have been like this since we got back from that hunting trip three days ago." He paused to think. "This has to do with Gwaine doesn't it."

He had finally put two and two together; Gwaine and Merlin were very close. Gwaine would do anything for Merlin, including defend Arthur.

"He betrayed the knight's code by keeping a mistress in the castle. What he does on his own time is his business but what he does in these castle walls is my business."

"Have you even spoken to Gwaine?" asked Merlin.

"Merlin, the palace guards found a pregnant mistress in his room while we were out hunting, what else is there to say."

"I know Gwaine, and I know that he would never do anything like this."

"What do you know Merlin?"

"When has he ever betrayed you?"

"What do you know that you aren't telling me?"

"It isn't my place to tell you, you should trust Gwaine."

"Damn it Merlin, what do I need to know."

"The child is not his, and she is not his mistress or anyone else's for that matter." Said Merlin leaving with the days washing.

Those words changed everything. He trusted Merlin more than anyone these days, so he took his opinion seriously. If Merlin thought there was something more going on then there probably was.