Upon entering Arthur's chambers, Merlin trotted over to the prince's wardrobe and started pulling out shirts.

"So," he asked. "When do we leave?" the prince blinked stupidly at him. "What? I'm coming too!"

Arthur continued to stare at him as he had gone mad.

"What?"

"That's what I just said."
"No, I mean, what the hell are you talking about, Merlin? You aren't coming! There is no way in hell that you're coming with me!"

There was silence as the two of them glared at each other until Merlin ducked his head and grinned.

"Arthur? Since when have I ever done as I'm told. I'm coming. Face it, you're helpless without me!" he laughed as the prince furiously threw a pillow at him. It missed him by a mile but the prince wasn't done and his face grew serious again.

"Merlin, I'm serious. It's too dangerous. The druids are an unknown and very dangerous people. You aren't prepared to deal with this."

Merlin gave the prince a strange look.

"Are they more dangerous than the Great Dragon?"

"No but…"

"An army of magically reanimated skeletons?"

"No but…"

"So visiting the druids is more dangerous than infiltrating a deadly-trap-ridden castle in a hostile country to rescue a serving-girl from a mad king and his pet sorceress? Breaking into Camelot's dungeon to rescue your father from the clutches of his power-crazed daughter and her evil not-sister and kidnapper? Defying the king to break a mind-reading Druid-boy with untold powers out of prison? Duelling a sorcerer with a magical shield made of deadly enchantment in the form of poisonous serpents? Being trapped in a magical maze and being forced to suffer three deadly curses because one idiot couldn't stop himself from killing a magical creature? Battling a water demon in the tunnels beneath a plague-ridden Camelot? Having to save a royal prat from an enchanted assassin's dagger only to be rewarded by being forced to serve his royal prickishness as an abused servant for untold eons? Having to drink deadly poison because no one will believe you that it really was poisoned? Having to…"

"Alright, I get the point! We've been through a lot but this is not like all those other times. There is no big safe castle to come home to at the end of the day. No Gaius to heal us if we get hurt. This is different. Two years on our own where anyone and everyone is or could be an enemy. Nothing we've done before can compare to this. Look, Merlin, you're not going! Alright?"

"Yes, I am. You just said so yourself! "We", "us". You're lost without me. You'd be dead before you even get there. I'm going too, you need me there. You can't even put your armour on without me, what do you expect to do in a fight?" Merlin laughed and ducked as the prince's helmet flew past him.

"Merlin!"

Luckily, further chaos was prevented by a quiet knock at the door. Straightening quickly, the prince smoothed down his tunic ad franticly ran his fingers through his hair. Merlin sniggered at Arthur's antics and trotted over to get the door for Gwen.

The blacksmith's daughter was distraught and hardly acknowledged Merlin's presence in her hurry to speak to Arthur.

"Is it true? Are you going? Why? Arthur, please, what's happening?"

Arthur was silent for a moment and then enveloped the maid in a sad embrace.

"Yes Gwen, it's true. And I am sorry but I…I have no choice in the matter, I must do this. It's for the good of Camelot. I don't want to…"

"You're lying." Gwen's rely was abrupt as she stepped out of the protective circle of the prince's arms. Arthur opened his mouth to object but she cut him off once again. "No, you are lying! Camelot doesn't benefit in any way from being abandoned by its prince for two whole years. Why are you really going? Is it…is it…about..us?"
"No! Gwen, no! I love you. Truly, I do. This is about my father. Ever since my…since Morgana betrayed us, he's been weak and…dependant. He needs me constantly at his side and…he can't. He is the king and he has to be strong, for all our sakes. While he is weak then so is Camelot. All the time I'm there, he has a shoulder to lean on and, while it was originally a kindness, he has become reliant. I have become a hindrance to my father's recovery. If I leave then he can't rely on me and he will be forced to stand on his own two feet and return to being the king he once was."

"But Arthur, two years! That's too long!"

"It's perfect. Any shorter and my father would just wait for my return and allow the kingdom to fall into ruin. Any longer and..well I couldn't leave Camelot for that long."
"Arthur, the kingdom's been here for hundreds of years. It's not going to…"

"I'm not talking about the kingdom, Guinevere." The prince's eyes darkened with love and he drew the girl against him, pressing his lips to hers. Gwen responded passionately. The two of them were rarely this open about their feelings so, as much as their separation pained Gwen, she understood why it had to be so and, through that simple kiss they spoke in voices that ran deeper than words. They knew how long the next two years would be for them both and, although Arthur would never dishonour her by asking, Gwen promised to wait for him. The kiss deepened, becoming far stronger that it had ever been before, even before the siege of Camelot had not held such feelings of desperation.

Merlin sighed as he watched them. In these dark times, Arthur and Gwen still had each other. Suddenly the sorcerer's vision blurred in one eye and he was briefly given a vision of the king striding along a nearby corridor. Uther had triggered one of his warning spells and that meant he was coming here!

"Arthur," he hissed "your father's coming!"

The lovers sprung away from each other and Gwen rushed for the door. Merlin grabbed her arm.

"It's too late for that. Quick, there's a set of dirty clothes behind the screen. Grab them and pretend to be collecting the laundry or something. I'll continue packing and Arthur you just…sit at your desk and look lazy and bossy. I'm sure you can manage that somehow."

Gwen sniggered as she hurried across the room. No sooner had her hand closed on Arthur's cast-off shirt when the doors flew open to reveal the king.

I'm in the middle of exams but I had a couple of hours free so I scrawled this out. Sorry about the massive wait but I'm in GCSE year and doing soooo much work. I haven't much time off since Christmas and my muse had left me. Thankfully she has finally returned and has banished my writer's block for the time being. I don't know when the next chapter will be up but it shouldn't be too soon. Please reveiw! I love reveiws and welcome constructive criticism (but flamers will be burnt alive at the stake by Uther). Until next time, highlord24.