Gabriele cursed silently to herself as she bent over a bucket, rigorously scrubbing against a wash board.
'Stupid Merlin,' she thought to herself. It was his fault that she was here. Who said she ever wanted to be a servant? She couldn't remember ever mentioning it. It was Merlin who decided to waltz into her life and pretend to be all nice and "innocent" only to get her tangled up in a job she couldn't exactly quit whenever it suited her.
"Once you're done with that I need you to clean out these pots!" shouted a voice she had come to hate over the last several days.
"Yes Ma'am!" she responded through her teeth. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to take this anymore.
The queen told her to not rush the process but if it was up to her she would have skipped it all together. How difficult could it be to be a servant?
As she scrubbed she watched her reflection form in the dirty water. Her forehead was sweaty and her dark brown hair that had escaped her bun was stuck to it. She plunged the rag into the water in frustration, her face disappearing into a kaleidoscope of rough water.
Swords clashed in a cacophony of sound as nimble feet dodged the wracking blow of steel on flesh. The wind whipped and flung through his hair as if dancing with him, hard blade coming down on the shoulder of the unsuspecting man, crumpling him to the ground. Gwaine smiled as he sheathed his sword and ran a hand through his hair, brushing it back from his face, the sweat dripping down his forehead making some of it clean to his cheek.
"I'd reckon you're improving," he said, voice smooth and deep. "But you're still as slow as an old nag," he chuckled and laughed as the offended expression descended onto Arthur's face.
"We can't all have girly feet like you," Arthur retorted but accepted the hand that Gwaine held out to him.
Wiping his sleeve over his brow, Gwaine slowly made his way across the green, rolling his shoulders and feeling the muscles clench and unclench under his thin shirt.
"Merlin?" He called and sat down a wooden bench outside one of the tents, his breathing
slowly settling and heart calming. He would never tell Arthur but he nearly lost that round. It was all in good humour to make fun of him on the training field but he knew that he would never want to meet on the battlefield for real, the very fate of Arthur's kingdom spurring his attacks. He was sure he wouldn't last more than few moves.
"Here you go Gwaine," Said Merlin as he handed him a waterskin which he took gratefully, not caring as the water dripped past his mouth and down his chin, which was covered in a light dusting of morning stubble. He breathed a gasp of relief and handed it back to Merlin.
"Thanks," he said and reclined further, propping his hands on the bench and his feet out in front of him as they both watched Arthur spar out on the field.
"He'll make a great king, no?" Gwaine said as he watched Arthur deftly avoid an attack from behind only to come back with potentially fatal strike of his own.
"Yeah," Merlin muttered, eyes trained on Arthur. They both stood in silence for several moments.
"How's that new servant working out for Arthur?" he asked at last, thinking back to that hilarious confrontation in his chambers. She looked so flustered. He chuckled out loud.
"Don't really know," said Merlin, "Haven't talked to her since."
Gwaine might have not been the most perceptive person in the world but he could have sworn he heard a hint of regret in Merlin's voice. He allowed a grin to spread over his face and he brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes before turning to look at him knowingly.
"You think she's pretty?"
"What?" Merlin's head whipped in Gwaine's direction and his eyes widened.
"No. I-I mean shes not not pretty or anything it's just...she's not for me."
"Oh. I see," Gwaine said and directed his attention once more towards the green. "I think she's pretty. You should go for her Merlin."
"What do you mean?" Merlin sputtered and a blush crept up his neck until even his ears were bright red.
"I don't ever see you with anyone Merlin."
"I have Arthur." Merlin said stiffly and Gwaine raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry to burst your bubble Merlin but he's already taken."
If Merlin could have gotten any redder he did. "That's not what I mean."
"Yeah, Okay. Whatever you say Merlin." Gwaine said with a chuckle and stood up, heading towards the castle. As he walked he thought of Merlin and that new serving girl. What was her name? Gladice? It really was time that Merlin finally found someone. He had to be one of the loneliest people Gwaine had ever met. All he did was follow Arthur around like a lost puppy or something.
LIfe was pretty boring around the castle lately, with the two lovebirds basically making everyone else feel suffocated when they were in the same room. Never again would Gwaine sit next to Arthur at a dinner party when Gwen was there again. Hooking Merlin up could prove to be just the kind of excitement this stuffy old place could use.