A/N:
To everyone patiently waiting for Ch. 101 of The Prophecy and Ch. 15 of Keep Calm: I am so, so sorry. I promise I'm working on both! ...but I'm also working on cross-posting existing work to AO3 (including drawing and painting illustrations for Keep Calm), verbal-processing/blogging about the dumpster fire that was the end of 2020 and now continues in what I refuse to call anything other than 2020-part-2 for the foreseeable future, trying to juggle work and a mental health episode, and...um, filling a prompt for a fic fest? :)
This was written for GwenFest (on Tumblr and AO3) which was created to "spur on more Gwen-centric fic out of our love for the once and future queen." Couldn't let that opportunity pass by without voicing my enthusiasm for Guinevere :) *steps onto soapbox* I mean, the woman once hand-forged a key to bust a knight out of the dungeons. Absolute legend. *steps off soapbox*
Ahem.
Anyway, here's an ode to Gwen's awesomeness in a series of drabble-length missing-scenes-turned-canon-divergence in 4x06 ("A Servant of Two Masters"). As per usual: no slash, no smut, no profanity; also, I don't own Merlin.
Commence the fic!
Part One: Down the Rabbit Hole
Gwen sighed as she left Arthur's chambers carrying a basket of laundry because Merlin was at the tavern again.
It was curious, though, because Gwen knew Merlin wasn't lost at the bottom of a barrel, despite what Arthur believed. In fact, Merlin was never in the tavern when Arthur thought he was. She'd overheard enough servants' gossip to know that Merlin wasn't numbered amongst the tavern regulars.
So where did he go?
She hadn't managed to work that bit out yet.
But Merlin's disappearance this afternoon—right after Gaius paralyzed another of those things in Merlin's neck—was particularly worrisome.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
As Gwen descended the first of the many staircases between the king's chambers and the palace laundry, she mulled over alternative explanations for years' worth of 'tavern' incidents.
I always assumed it was his way of getting a day off.
Gwen didn't begrudge him that; all the servants knew he barely left the king's side. She honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd actually paid his mother a proper visit.
Plus, as far as she knew, he'd never skived off when Arthur actually needed him for something important beyond daily chores which could easily wait until Merlin had 'sobered up.'
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The problem with the 'skiving off' theory, she decided, is that it doesn't explain why he's disappeared this time.
She'd seen how worried Arthur had been while Merlin was injured and missing—and how relieved he'd been to have Merlin home safe again. So relieved, in fact, that he hadn't questioned Merlin's erratic behaviour while those horrible things were controlling him.
Chewing her lip, she started down yet another staircase.
No, Merlin wouldn't worry Arthur again so soon—especially not while Gaius is still researching how to stop that thing from ever waking again. Must be something else this time.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Merlin hadn't returned from 'the tavern' by supper. Increasingly concerned about the fomorroh waking, Gwen went to see Gaius and made a surprising discovery: Gaius was the one who'd first planted the 'tavern' excuse in Arthur's mind.
Explains why Arthur's never questioned it.
Hearing the excuse directly from Gaius only compounded Gwen's worries.
If Gaius prefers saying Merlin's a drunkard, how much worse must the truth be?
If Merlin still posed a danger to Arthur, surely Gaius would've sounded worried when he'd lied to her face.
Unless he's a better liar than I thought.
...That was not a reassuring idea.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Gwen paced back and forth in her home after supper.
Is Arthur still in danger? And why has Gaius been lying for years?
She'd never had a reason to mistrust Gaius before; the very idea felt wrong.
Gaius genuinely cares about Arthur. I'm certain he'd never betray him.
But that didn't stop him from lying to his king, apparently.
She'd already known that Merlin lied by omission each time Arthur bought the long-standing tavern alibi, but if that wasn't for a harmless day off—and if Gaius is covering for him—then suddenly those little lies didn't seem so innocent.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The candles burned low as Gwen paced, wracking her brain for explanations.
Maybe it's nothing; maybe I'm overreacting.
Perhaps Merlin was avoiding Arthur's teasing about something perfectly appropriate.
Like courting a girl?
He'd never mentioned one, but she'd certainly seen the way he looked at girls when he'd first arrived in Camelot.
If Merlin's been secretly courting someone, she mused, it'd explain why he's stopped trying to flirt around the castle.
It might also explain that one incident with Morgana's gown.
Did he steal it as a gift?
Theft went beyond harmless misdirections; she was right back where she'd started.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Camelot was fast asleep, but Gwen couldn't rest.
What if Arthur's still in danger?
She'd long since run out of harmless explanations but still wanted to give Merlin and Gaius the benefit of the doubt.
Merlin wouldn't willingly harm Arthur, but after this morning, well…
She couldn't know if Merlin was in his right mind if she didn't even know where he was.
Gwen tossed and turned, plagued by fears of what might happen if she stood by and did nothing to warn Arthur. Shortly before midnight, the intention became a resolve. She rose and set out for the castle.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
She made it all the way to the door of Arthur's chambers, not caring that it was the middle of the night and fully intending to tell him everything about the 'tavern' situation—about Gaius' misdirections, about the complications surrounding Merlin's current disappearance, and about her concerns for Arthur's safety.
He's a good man and he cares about both of them. He'll get to the bottom of their lies, even if it turns out it's all completely innocent.
She raised her hand, fully poised to knock, then hesitated.
You lied to Arthur this week, too, her conscience pointedly reminded her.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
She rapped sharply on the chamber door. Silence. She knocked again, louder this time. After a moment, the door opened a crack.
"Gwen?" Elyan asked in sleep-muddled confusion.
"I need to talk to you," she said bluntly. "It's important."
"But it's past midnight—"
"Now, Elyan."
She didn't often use her big-sister voice with Elyan these days, but when she did…
"Okay, okay," he said quickly, swinging the door wide and beckoning her inside. "Now is fine."
As Elyan stoked the fire back to life, Gwen perched on the foot of Elyan's bed and proceeded to tell him everything.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
It was funny how recounting the tale to Elyan cast certain things in a new light. For instance, Gwen honestly wasn't sure now why they hadn't simply told Arthur right away when Gaius had discovered the first fomorroh in Merlin's neck.
It would have been much easier if they'd warned Arthur—kept him away from Merlin altogether until they were certain both of them were safe again.
But Gaius hadn't been inclined to tell Arthur, and Gwen hadn't questioned him in the moment. Now, though, she wondered.
How could it benefit Arthur to keep him in the dark like that?
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Together, Gwen and Elyan hatched a plan—and still managed to get a few hours of sleep before dawn.
Then Elyan embarked on his quest to surreptitiously shadow Arthur all day—ideally without Arthur questioning why—in case the fomorroh prompted another assassination attempt.
Meanwhile, Gwen enlisted George to cover Merlin's duties, subtly encouraging him to be extra fastidious at Arthur's side all day long.
George is lovely—really, he is, she thought, hurrying away through winding servants' passages. But I honestly couldn't handle him all day. I just don't understand his humour.
Hopefully Arthur wouldn't mind it too much.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Reassured that Elyan and George were guarding Arthur—even if Arthur doesn't know it—Gwen moved on to the next step of their plan.
She started where all the trouble began: the tavern.
In a matter of minutes, Gwen formally verified what she'd suspected all along.
"'Course I know Merlin; everyone does," Pelias the barkeeper told her cheerfully, "but he's hardly ever set foot in here, and only with the king or his knights. Never alone; never more than a pint or two. Lad's a lightweight."
Gwen thanked him and moved on to her next line of inquiry: servants' gossip.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"I haven't seen him since yesterday—the seneschal told me Merlin wouldn't be mucking out the stalls today, but that's all I know," Menw the stable boy told her as he leaned on his pitchfork in Llamrei's stall.
Wiping sweat from his brow, he added, "I heard George was covering his other duties, so he might know more; I'd ask him instead."
Too bad I already know what he'll say, Gwen thought.
She thanked Menw and—since Merlin wasn't there to spoil Arthur's favourite mare rotten—gave Llamrei a juicy apple and a scritch behind her ears before she left.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"No, I've never heard Merlin mention a girl," Rosie the kitchen maid said, shaking her head, "...but, um, I wouldn't be surprised?"
"What do you mean?" Gwen asked, eagerly pulling on the thread of the first lead she'd had all day.
"Um, nothing," Rosie said, blushing like her namesake, "Only that, uh, if he wanted one, he wouldn't have any trouble."
Oh, Gwen thought, glancing around as the other kitchen maids nodded wistfully. I wonder if Merlin has any idea?
She filed that tidbit away to tease him later...after she finally found him and gave him a solid scolding.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"'Have I seen Merlin?'" Gwaine parroted, mildly miffed. "Last time I saw Merlin, he insulted my fingers. Have you asked Arthur?"
"He insul—what? Wait, never mind. Arthur thinks Merlin's in the tavern, but—"
"But of course he isn't."
"—wait, how did you know?"
"Lad's a lightweight." Gwaine shrugged. "Don't know why Arthur's stuck on that excuse."
"If you knew, why didn't you tell Arthur?"
Gwaine raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you?"
Fair point.
"So do you know where he is?" she asked.
"Skiving off somewhere, I expect. He needs it, too—been out of sorts since he got home."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
It didn't take long for Gwen to fill Gwaine in about the current situation. He readily agreed to help—though Gwen wasn't sure if his eagerness stemmed more from loyal concern for Arthur's safety or from loyal friendship to Merlin.
I never can tell with him.
But he'd agreed to help; that was good enough for her.
"Right, then," Gwaine said, "Arthur's got us training later this morning, so I'll catch up with Elyan. While Arthur's occupied and Elyan watches his back, I'll ask around a bit—see if any knights or squires let slip something we don't already know."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Gwen left the citadel and training grounds to her co-conspirators—Elyan and Gwaine—and their unwitting ally, George. She turned her attention to the lower town.
The marketplace was bustling, filled with the fragrant aromas of herbs juxtaposed with the pungent musk of livestock and sweat. A vibrant variety of colourful fabrics graced the weavers' stalls, lending a festive air to the merry cacophony of merchants and farmers hawking their wares. She threaded her way through the throng, an empty basket on her arm.
Maybe someone here has seen Merlin since yesterday morning. He can't have vanished into thin air.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The good news was that she did find someone who'd seen Merlin.
The bad news was that the answer raised even more questions.
"Oh, I saw him yesterday," a farmer told her. "He bought some fruit before riding out through the south gate about midday."
If Gaius sent Merlin out to pick herbs yesterday, then why would he lie about it? And why would he allow Merlin to leave the citadel knowing he still had a dormant fomorroh in his neck?
Gwen stopped in her tracks in the middle of the narrow lane.
What if it isn't dormant any longer?
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Elyan and Gwaine found her pacing in her home shortly after lunch.
When they entered, Gwen exclaimed, "But who's watching out for Arthur?"
"Don't worry, he's in good hands," Gwaine said brightly, shutting the door behind him. "He's in an atrociously boring council meeting for the next hour; you know Leon'll watch over him."
"That's not nearly as reassuring as it ought to be," Gwen muttered under her breath, remembering the incident with the crossbow only two days ago.
She'd gotten more than a few odd looks while carrying it back to the armoury after removing it from Arthur's wardrobe.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"But if the fomorroh's controlling him again, why would he leave Camelot?" Elyan asked. "If he's trying to kill Arthur, then shouldn't he be staying close to where Arthur is?"
"Maybe he went to meet with whoever put the fomorroh there in the first place?" Gwen thought aloud, still pacing, even as Elyan sat at the table drinking tea and Gwaine sprawled comfortably on the bench across from him.
Gwaine sat up sharply at that. "Yesterday, in the woods, on patrol—!"
"—that old sorcerer!" Elyan exclaimed, nearly knocking over his tea. "Maybe that's what he was talking about!"
"What sorcerer?!"
A/N:
Poor Gwen. It must be lonely being the primary keeper of the one (1) brain cell in Camelot. :/ She is going to have words with Merlin when she finally sees him again in Part Two. ;)
Attributions:
I borrowed the lovely turn of phrase "the intention [suddenly] became a resolve" from George MacDonald's book Lilith.
Several of the name-dropping cameos here in Part One come from wider Arthurian canon (and some also have appeared/will appear in The Prophecy):
Pelias - one of the name variations for the Fisher King/Wounded King, keeper of the holy grail. Here, too, he is a keeper of cups (of ale).
Llamrei - the name of Arthur's valiant horse in wider canon (Welsh origins).
Menw - a magician-knight in early Welsh versions of the legends; here, a stable boy tasked with caring for Llamrei.
Rosie - a kitchen maid who also appears briefly in "The Prophecy"