Glad you guys like it, Thanks to reviewers : ShiBurrowes, Babybee61, Sherry, MegElemental, silvercharm and Bec Le - it's nice to be appreciated.

Merlin's fun and I stayed up way to late watching the cast diaries on youtube...which are just as funny as the DW ones...perhaps funnier, I'm glad they all get along - hehe poor ANgel (I can't stop thinking it in an over exaggerated way...sigh I'm way too easily influenced) and now I want to go on rollercoasters! (when I've never had much interest)

I don't own Merlin or a peg leg....Great now my mind is imagining Merlin dressed like a pirate - very cute.

Previously on Merlin:

"When I'm King I'm going to think back on this moment…often – so you should think very carefully about your next move."

Morgana sighed, "Oh, you're no fun."

Gwen stood up and considered the bed, she blew out a breath. "I'm going to assume for a moment that you wouldn't be happy if we went and got some guards to help." Arthur muttered some curses. "Right, so…what if we move the bed?"

Morgana made a face, "Gwen, the bed weighs more than Arthur."

Gwen shook her head, "But if we just nudge it a bit and free some more of him he can help free himself."

Morgana stood next to Gwen and considered her plan; she looked at Gwen giving her a wicked smile. "He's not going to be King for ages, he'll forget this by then."

Gwen smiled, "We can't just leave him here." She protested.

"We can."

"But we won't" said Gwen, raising her eyebrows waiting for Morgana to agree.

"Morgana?" she frowned.

Morgana put her hands up in surrender. "Yes, fine. Let's free our future King."

Gwen moved over to the head of the bed and Morgana moved to the foot. "Ready?" Gwen asked, Morgana nodded and they pushed her heavy four-post bed as hard as they could.

The bed groaned and made a terrible noise as it moved across the stone floor. Gwen and Morgana pressed as long as they could. Both of them red in the face they stopped, breathing heavily - Gwen sunk to the floor and Morgana threw herself onto the bed. They'd managed to move the bed about four inches.

Arthur was a little closer to being free; he reached for Gwen's hand. "Just a bit further." He encouraged, wriggling as hard as he could to get out from under the bed.

Morgana groaned an arm thrown over her face, "Gwen, it's not worth the trouble. I'll just grab a few guards from down the corridor."

"No." Arthur protested. "Just give it one more go, I can't be caught like this."

Gwen rubbed her face, "The King will send someone up if Morgana doesn't leave soon." She reminded Arthur.

"Guinevere, please."

She rolled her eyes, "Morgana, how'd you ever manage to get him under there in the first place?"

Morgana giggled, "It was a lot easier then getting him out I can tell you."

Gwen hit her head against the mattress, trying to think of something. Morgana gave a deep sigh and rose from the bed, "I'm going to get help."

"Morgana!" Arthur objected sharply.

Gwen lay her head against the side of the mattress, "Get Merlin." She requested tiredly. Arthur groaned. "We need help!" she contended gritting her teeth. "And if you want to get out of there any time soon, we're going to need Merlin."

Morgana nodded, "Gwen's right, as usual." She moved to the door. "What have you got Merlin doing right now?" she asked, one hand on the door.

Arthur was silent; Gwen put slight pressure on his out stretched hand. "The stables. He's in the stables." He grunted.

Morgana rolled her eyes at Gwen and left the room.

Gwen sighed, "This would go a lot easier if you could just get over your pride."

"Guinevere, I'm wedged under the King's ward's bed. It looks bad."

"I meant in general." Gwen stared at the door, "Do you spend a lot of time eavesdropping on other people's conversations?"

"Guinevere."

"Because we both know you were standing right over there, listening in."

"This is hardly fair, I'm trapped."

"So you can't escape. Good – there's a few things I want to say."

She shifted so that she could see his face; "I believe that we're all capable of anything in the right situation. That the memorable things, the things that stay with you for your entire life are a mixture of the bad and the good – and that makes us who we are. Those experiences and the people you make them with."

She hesitated, "You can't change the past and neither can you live in it, you have to look to the future."

"And what does the future hold for me, then?" Arthur sighed, meeting her eyes.

She smiled, "You already know." She rested her head against the stone. "That's the difference between us… I don't know."

"And is that a bad thing?"

She closed her eyes, "Sometimes." She admitted.

She heard Arthur sigh, "Do you miss him?"

Gwen thought about it - about the feelings Lancelot had stirred up in their short time together.

She thought about how she felt finding out that he was gone.

Gwen opened her eyes and looked straight into Arthur's, "I didn't get to say goodbye…or to thank him." She said softly.

"Thank him?"

She laughed, "For saving me."

She caught his dubious look, "He distracted me from the situation – he was there and I wasn't alone." She tried to explain. "And he got me out of the dungeons." She pointed out.

"And into the cage with the Wilddroen." Arthur retorted with a snort.

"Which is where you and Merlin found us just in time." She reminded gently.

Arthur rolled his eyes, "Luckily."

Gwen grinned, "Luckily." She echoed.

She sat back up, her back to the bed – watching the door again. "You should be nicer to Merlin." She said quietly, finally voicing something she had long thought.

Arthur snorted.

The door flew open and Morgana came in dragging Merlin behind her, she shut the door and pointed to the bed at Arthur. "Your great lord and master."

Merlin spluttered and a smile spread over his face.

"He's got that foolish look on his face, doesn't he?" Arthur growled.

Gwen ignored him, instead choosing to stand up, "Thank God you're here Merlin. We really need your help."

Merlin shook his head from side to side, "How on Earth did he get under there?"

"Shut up, Merlin."

Merlin looked from Gwen to Morgana, "Have you considered leaving him there?" he asked seriously.

Morgana flopped onto her bed and Arthur grunted, "Yes, but Gwen won't let me." She griped.

"Of course we can't leave him there." Gwen sighed. "This is the kind of thinking that gets you in the stocks."

"Or mucking out the stables." Arthur muttered.

"Merlin can you stand in the middle?" Gwen directed, as she and Morgana took their former places. "The King is going to be wondering where you are." She said glancing at Morgana.

With the three of them pushing they managed to shift the bed another four inches to the right.

Arthur managed to crawl free as his three friends collapsed where they stood. He wiggled his limbs, relishing his freedom.

Gwen leant over and rested her head on Merlin's shoulder; Morgana sighed as Arthur bounced around. "I still think we should have just left him there."

Merlin threw his left hand into the air "I second that motion." he said, yawning. "I'm exhausted."

Gwen closed her eyes.

Morgana watched Arthur with narrowed eyes, "Now, I'm too…" she yawned, "I'm too tired for riding." She sighed.

There was a knock at the door, Morgana motioned for Arthur to get it – seeing as he had so much energy. He opened it revealing a fidgeting handmaiden, who shrunk away from the beaming prince.

"Sire." She ducked her head. "I'm here to see if the Lady Morgana needs any help getting ready for her ride."

Arthur gestured inside to the three figures slumped against Morgana's askew bed, "Morgana, father's waiting." He reminded, impatiently – gesturing for her to leave.

She glowered at him, before rising to her full height and stalking towards him, "I know, Arthur." She stopped at the doorway and offered a smile to the timid girl, "Thank you for the offer."

"She's just doing her job." Arthur snorted as the girl hurried away.

Morgana sighed and looked back at Gwen and Merlin, "I guess I cannot keep the King waiting any longer." She smiled at Arthur and leaned close to his face, "You know Arthur, those patterns on your cheek look strangely like the floor stones."

Arthur's lip curled and he swiped at his face trying to rub the marks away.

Morgana gave a cheery wave and glided out of the room. Arthur slammed the door shut behind her and Gwen sat up with a jolt.

Merlin blew out a breath of air, "S'alright, it's just Arthur, throwing a tantrum."

Gwen blinked at both of them and yawned, "Ooh."

Merlin grinned at her, "You can go back to sleep if you want, I don't presently need that shoulder."

"I wasn't asleep."

Merlin snorted.

"I was just resting my eyes." She protested, rubbing at them. "Where's Morgana?"

"She left." Arthur announced, lurching over to a chair and sitting down.

Gwen looked at Merlin, "Why is he rubbing his face like that?" she whispered.

Merlin grinned and leant closer, "Morgana told him that he had the floor imprinted on his face."

Gwen and Merlin giggled.

"What are you two giggling about over there?" Arthur growled.

Merlin scoffed, "None of your business."

Arthur's jaw tightened and Gwen yawned again. "Can one of you help me up?"

Merlin propped his head on her shoulder, "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

Gwen sighed and rested her head against Merlin's, "Then we are doomed." She chuckled. "We'll have to wait for Morgana to come back."

"How terrible." Merlin muttered, closing his eyes.

Arthur gave them both a disgusted look, "I'm still here." He reminded.

Merlin snorted, "Yes, we had noticed that. What do you think Gwen? What are the chances that his royal highness over there would willingly offer to help us up?"

Gwen was fighting to keep her eyes open, she sighed. "I have no idea."

"Gotta say I think it's slim at best."

"Probably." She agreed, no longer listening as her eyes closed.

"Probably?" Arthur gritted, looking at the pair of them – falling asleep all over each other. "Probably?" he repeated, frowning.

"Arthur." Merlin murmured, "If we could have a little shush? It's been a long day."

"It's not even after noon." Arthur retorted.

"Well, not all of us have been lying down most of the day."

"They trapped me!" He snapped.

Gwen's head bobbed a little and she groaned softly, "You didn't have to get involved, but you did." She giggled, "And I hardly think that Morgana could have forced you under the bed entirely against your will." She pointed out.

"Yeah." Merlin assented.

There was silence for a moment.

"She's stronger then she looks."

Gwen made a funny sound as she tried to hold in her laughter, her eyes screwing up tightly. Merlin's shoulders shook silently and he huddled closer to Gwen – who was warm, and kind and just generally nice to be around. Especially around Arthur.

"Guinevere."

Gwen burst out laughing, clinging to Merlin as he too lost the battle.

Arthur heaved himself out of his chair and stalked over to the two of them. He held out a hand to Gwen. "Get up." He ordered.

Her brown eyes flew open as her body still rocked with giggles; she bit her lip, "Sire?"

"Disentangle yourself from Merlin and take my hand, Guinevere."

"It's the end of the world, Arthur's offering help." Merlin snorted, leaning away from Gwen so she could get up.

Gwen reached out and took Arthur's hand; he pulled her easily to her feet. She looked down at Merlin, concerned, "When was the last time you let him get any sleep?"

Merlin giggled to himself and curled up against the stone floor.

Arthur rolled his eyes and shook his head, "I don't know, he's not my responsibility."

Gwen raised a brow and squeezed Arthur's hand – as neither of them had the particular urge to let go – "Then exactly whose responsibility is Merlin?"

He gave her a bemused smile, "Well it sure as hell isn't me, and God help the person when I find them."

Gwen smirked, "Right, well for the time being I'll take responsibility." She went to reach for Merlin.

Arthur stopped her, "Let him rest." He sighed.

Gwen yawned, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment. "Sleep is good."

Arthur smiled and a yawn hit him, he rubbed at his eyes with his free hand. "I think we could all use a nap after the last hour."

Gwen oblivious to the fact that she'd started to lean against Arthur's side, started suddenly. "Oh, and poor Morgana!" she exclaimed.

Arthur grunted, "There is nothing poor about Morgana."

He began pulling her towards the door, "I'm giving you permission to go home for the rest of the day."

Gwen dug her heels in and tugged back on his arm to stop him. "Wait, wait, wait…" she lost track of her train of thought.

"Wait?" Arthur asked, amused.

Gwen shook her foggy head, "Um" she squinted. "Merlin!" she cried, and there was an answering murmur form near the bed.

She looked at Arthur, "We can't just leave him." She whispered.

Arthur smirked, "Oh, but I think we can."

Gwen tilted her head and pulled her hand from his, reluctantly, as she moved back to Merlin. Arthur frowned, watching Gwen pull a blanket from the bed and drape it over Merlin – making sure it was tucked around him.

"He's fine." Arthur hissed, impatiently – his own bed calling him. He just had to make sure Gwen left first, he knew what she was like – he couldn't trust her to go home unless he practically walked her there.

Gwen sighed and smoothed down some of Merlin's hair fondly, "Sleep well." She whispered to her softly snoring friend.

Finally rising and walking back to Arthur she looked at him, "He doesn't snore half as bad as you." She muttered continuing past him and out the door.

Arthur gaped and followed after her, closing the door quietly behind him.

You're probably thinking the story could have ended there - and you're right...but I had a line I wanted Arthur to say and it somehow wasn't time yet...ie. I was having TOO much fun (I'm very self-indulgent)...so on it goes.

I know it's strange - I had Merlin go from lucid to snoring in about 30 seconds....but I kind of needed him out of the way. Sorry Merlin. Also I wanted Caring!Gwen and Impatient!Arthur to cross paths...so there we go.

Did the talk between Arwen go ok? I wanted her to reassure him a little, but also herself - but without revealing too much, I cannot picture Gwen spilling out her heart to Arthur unless she was:

A) Drunk or hallucinating

B) Angry

or

C) all of the above.

So pretty much that restrained me from having Gwen claim that the whole Lancelot thing was in the heat of the moment - an impulse - the only friendly face in the crowd - a rebound thing - the worst mistake of her life...etc.

Although I actually don't think it was the last 2 things - I think it was something that happened (away from Arthur and Camelot) while she was under immense pressure and Lancelot was THERE to reach out to her and give her hope as...well as distract her from the situation.

I'm a little on the fence whether Arthur should find out Gwen kissed Lancelot...On the other hand I'd love for him to find out she kissed Merlin in S1 :)

Although then poor Merlin would have to suffer. Sorry Merlin, but it'd be worth it.