Ooooh… this is where we find out what Arthur's got for Gwen! Yay!

Their Day

Chapter 3

Merlin approached the door to Gwen's chambers and placed his hand on the door handle, but paused to think. He withdrew his hand from the door and knocked gently. Silence.

'Who is it?' Gwen called from the other side of the door.

'Me. Can I come in?'

'Erm… two minutes!'

There was a scuffle inside, and Merlin heard Gwen and Anna giggle before Gwen called, 'Come in.'

Merlin opened the door and frowned. Gwen was sat at her dressing table, wearing a dressing gown – her long wavy hair was let down to her waist and it was still wet. She had clearly just gotten out of the bath.

'Sorry Gwen. I could have come back later.'

'Oh it's fine.' She said lightly, a huge smile plastered across her face.

Merlin grinned. 'Could I honestly do anything today that would make you angry?'

Gwen's expression turned serious. 'You can make Arthur late. That would make me extremely angry.'

Merlin laughed. 'I won't I promise!'

'What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be helping Arthur?'

'I am! Here – he asked me to give you this.'

Gwen looked confused and took the package from Merlin's outstretched hand. Anna picked up a towel and began drying Gwen's hair.

'He says read the note first.'

Gwen stopped opening the parcel. 'Alright.'

Gwen neatly tore open the note and unfolded it eagerly.

Guinevere,

I still can't quite believe that you agreed to this! Marrying me – there is absolutely no getting out of it now. Well, I suppose you could decide to leave me alone – I honestly think that I could never leave that alter without you by my side. You have absolutely no idea how long I have waited for today. Those few days I spent at your home were life changing. You spoke to me like no one had ever spoken to me before. In those few words, you changed the way I saw myself, therefore changing the way I look at life. I fear that if it weren't for you, Camelot would still be in the sorry state that my father had left it – and magic would still be outlawed. I suppose that even Merlin owes you thanks for that.

The moment I kissed you before the joust, my mind was made up. Maybe, I didn't quite know that yet but you were the only one I could ever love. You are the only person who has made me feel like a normal man – not royalty. You can't begin to imagine how precious this is to me.

I love you Guinevere - and I cannot wait for us to start our lives together as a married couple.

You are everything to me, Guinevere – I have lived life without you, and I do not want to go back to that dark place. I love you and I am forever, entirely yours.

I'll see you in a few hours.

Arthur
xxx

Oh, and don't open the parcel until you're alone. X

Gwen smiled and put her hand to her mouth, laughing gently. 'I love you too.' She whispered and tenderly opened a drawer and placed the parcel inside.

'Aren't you going to open it?' Merlin asked.

Gwen smiled cheekily. 'No.'

Anna smiled to herself and started to brush Gwen's hair. Merlin sighed and said, 'Well, I must get back to Arthur. I'll see you in a bit, Gwen.'

'Bye, Merlin.'

Merlin closed the door gently and hurried down the corridor.

Gwen stared at her reflection in the mirror, lost in thought. She sighed and straightened up, trying not to think about the little package in her drawer, but her fingers kept edging toward her drawer handle. Anna looked down and smiled, setting down the brush, making Gwen jump.

'I'm going to fetch some flowers for your hair, Gwen. I'll be back soon.' Anna said, hurriedly leaving the room.

Gwen watched her leave. 'Alright.' She called, and waiting for the door to close.

Gwen listened for Anna's footsteps to signal she'd gone down the corridor, and then threw open the drawer and took out the parcel.

She smiled with excitement and gently peeled back the wrappings held together by a small piece of string, tied in a bow. She unfolded the fabric to reveal a beautiful hair comb – it had diamond flowers scattered along the top that swirled in between each other. It was the most beautiful piece of jewellery Gwen had ever seen – except perhaps, her engagement ring.

She looked down at the wrappings again and frowned. There was something else in the parcel – she reached down and picked it up. The white lace unfolded as she pulled it upwards, and Gwen gasped and dropped it as she realised what it was.

It was a single, white lace stocking, much like the ones that Morgana used to wear when she wanted to feel more confident than usual. She used to say that wearing fancy undergarments made her feel unstoppable, as if nothing could make her feel embarrassed or nervous. Of course, Morgana never married, so no one ever saw her undergarments. The stocking made Gwen feel exceedingly nervous.

Anna knocked gently and opened the door. Gwen stuffed the stocking into her still open drawer and turned around quickly. Anna smiled. 'Right, I've got roses, lilies and carnations. I got all cream ones - you didn't want different colours did you?'

'No, these are perfect.' Gwen looked at the flowers in Anna's arms. 'Erm… I don't know. We'll try all of them and see which are best.'

'Alright.' Anna put them down on the dressing table and gasped, 'Is that what Arthur sent you?'

Gwen smiled and picked up the comb. 'Yes. It's beautiful isn't it?'

'Absolutely gorgeous! Can I?' she asked, gesturing to the comb.

Gwen nodded and Anna picked it up, holding it in the light and turning it slightly.

She gasped again. 'Look how it sparkles! This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Except perhaps this.' She said, picking up Gwen's left hand and holding her ring next to the comb, sighing.

Gwen giggled, trying not to think about the stocking tucked safely away in the drawer.

There was a knock on the door. 'Gwen?'

'Yes come in.' she called.

Elena poked her head around the door, 'Hello.'

Elena and Leonora, with baby Samuel in her arms, entered the room, both already wearing their bridesmaid dresses. They were white with short sleeves that floated over their shoulders. Golden beading was embroidered onto the bodice, and scattered scarcely on the skirt. It hugged their slim frames and highlighted their pale skin tones, contrasting with Leonora's dark hair, and complimenting Elena's fair.

'You not ready yet?' Elena asked, sitting down heavily on the bed. Gwen smiled at her. Elena acted like the perfect lady when she had company, but when she was around friends she was 'Elena', just herself; lazy, clumsy and extremely eccentric.

'No.' Gwen smiled.

'Well we'd better get a move on then.' Said Leonora, gesturing to Elena to get off the bed, and took her place. She lay down on the bed, laying Samuel down next to her. Elena huffily got up and walked toward Gwen and Anna, 'What shall we do with your hair, Gwen?'

'We're going to pin the front parts up behind her head like this.' Said Anna, placing Gwen's hair as she spoke. 'And then, we can put some flowers in, or this.' She picked up the comb.

Elena gasped. 'That's beautiful! Where on earth did you get that?'

Gwen grinned.

'Arthur sent it to her this morning.' Said Anna.

'Oh Gwen, it's just beautiful! Nora, look at this!'

'What is it?'

Elena picked it up and gently carried it over to the bed. Leonora gasped. 'That is dazzling! I love it! I'll have to congratulate Arthur on his choice of gifts when I see him.'

'So I suppose we've established that I'm wearing that in my hair?' Gwen laughed.

'Of course!' exclaimed Leonora.

Elena frowned thoughtfully. 'What is it?' asked Gwen.

Elena walked back to Gwen and carefully slotted the comb into Gwen's long wavy hair, then picked up a rose from the table and pinned it under the comb, then another one next to that one, and another next to that.

Anna smiled. 'You're a genius.'

Gwen turned from side to side trying to see what she'd done. 'What is it? Does it look good?'

Anna smiled and held a mirror up behind Gwen's head. Gwen smiled. 'I love it. You are a genius.'

'I know.' Elena said, lightly. 'Now come here – rub some of this on your lips. It'll make them pinker.'

Gwen rubbed her lips together and looked at herself in the mirror. 'Yes – that's good.'

'You look beautiful, Gwen.' Said Leonora.

'Positively radiant!' Elena beamed. 'Arthur won't be able to believe his beautiful blue eyes!'

Gwen looked at her reflection in the mirror.

'Alright,' she grinned. 'Let's put on my dress now!'

Ok, here are the links to the dresses etc I've described in this chapter… copy and paste them into your browser because they don't work as a proper link.

Elena and Leonora's Bridesmaids Dress –

Google 'house of fraser anoushka g louisa vintage mesh dress'

Gwen's Hair Comb –

Google 'debenhams jon richard vine vintage comb'

xxx