Chapter 6
Gwen wiped her brow in her sleeve. The forge was going full on these days. She wanted to make sure that she would have everything ready for the harvest and have some extra pitch forks and spades made.
"Gwen, you need to come eat." Hunith said. "I have already fed Duran and he is asleep. You are working yourself too hard."
"If I am to leave with Arthur, I want to know that you are prepared for harvest. I know that I told him that I would stay until after but I think you are right I shouldn't wait any longer." Gwen said.
Hunith smiled with relief. "Finally, you see sense in going to Camelot with him now. The boy needs his father and you need to live the life you were meant to have. You were meant to be a Queen and not a blacksmith who farms."
"If anything should break Micah should have the skill to fix it but if he can't you have to take it to the blacksmith at the market." Gwen said.
"You have told me this several times already." Hunith said. "They should be here soon. Will you need help with the packing?"
"There is not much to pack. I am taking very little and what I leave is yours. We will take only our clothes and Duran's toys." Gwen said. "There will be no need for anything else. I'm sure Arthur will have made some plans for us already."
"Do you believe he has told the Court that he has a son?" Hunith asked.
"If he did, we would have heard about by now." Gwen said. She sat down on a stump. "There would be Knights here to collect me and our son. He will do as I asked because he will believe it is the only way."
"This means you will have to face your brother." Hunith said. "Do you think he will be angry with you?"
"Will he be angry that I have been right under their noses the whole time and haven't sent word to him? Yes he will be angry." Gwen said. "He will also be angry with Arthur when he sees Duran. He will be angry that Arthur didn't marry me as soon as we took back Camelot."
"You didn't tell Arthur about being with child." Hunith said.
"It won't be about Duran. It will be that he took my virtue." Gwen said. "Brothers are like that."
"I understand." Hunith said. "Come have something to eat and some rest too. It will do you no good to be exhausted and ill when Arthur comes back."
Gwen nodded. "You are right. I could use a good wash too."
"I will heat you some water so you can wash while you eat your supper." Hunith said.
Gwen got off the stump and walked to Hunith's house. She ate and washed then fell asleep next to Duran by the fire. Hunith covered her up before going to bed herself.
Late the next afternoon three riders came up the road leading to the village. Hunith saw them and smiled. They came up to her house and dismounted.
"Hunith, it's so good to see you." Gaius said as he opened up his arms to his friend.
"How are you old friend?" Hunith said as she gave him a squeeze.
"I am old." Gaius smiled as he let her go
"Hunith present for you." Arthur held out three large rabbits they had killed on the way.
"Thank you Sire. I am always happy to see you and not because you bring me meat for my table. Gwen is at the forge. She has Duran with her." Hunith pointed to a building at the edge of the village. "The forge is that way Sire.
"Thank you." Arthur headed the way she pointed.
"Mother." Merlin hugged his mother and whispered. "Did you talk to her?"
"She is going back this time." Hunith whispered back. She let go of Merlin. She turned to Gaius. "What brings you here?"
"Arthur wants me to check on the boy and Gwen. He is worried that they may be unwell." Gaius said.
"Gwen has been pushing herself to finish new tools and the repair of the old ones for harvest. I have had to come take her from the forge more than a few times this past week. She is going back this time. I finally got her to see sense and let Duran have his father in his life." Hunith said.
"This may well be a better trip than I expected." Merlin said as he took the rabbits from his mother. "I'll clean these. You and Gaius sit and talk. Arthur will be with them for a while."
They went into Hunith's house and sat at the table while Merlin cleaned the rabbits outside.
Merlin looked towards the forge and smiled. He was hopeful that Arthur will have his heart's love restored and Camelot will have the Queen that it was meant to have. It was going to be a good visit indeed.
X
Arthur walked up to the forge. He could hear the pounding of metal against metal. He hoped that he would be able to take her away from this life of hard work and meager living. He turned the corner and smiled as he saw her, hammer in hand like an ancient goddess.
"Sire!" Duran came running from the blanket he had been playing on.
Arthur knelt down and held out his arms as the boy ran to him. He wrapped his arms around his son and gave him a squeeze. He let go and looked at his son. "Have you been a good boy for your mother while I was gone?"
"Yes Sire." Duran hugged him again. "I missed you."
Arthur closed his eyes and fought back his tears as he hugged Duran back. "I missed you to my boy."
Gwen had stopped her work to watch them. She knew that she had made the right decision when she saw the emotion in Arthur's face as he held on to Duran. She put down her hammer and wiped her forehead on her sleeve.
"Arthur, how was your journey?" Gwen asked.
Arthur looked up at her and smiled. "It was uneventful. I hope my visit will not be too disruptive. It looks like you have been quite busy."
"I am almost finished. I have a day's work left at the most." Gwen said as she looked around.
"Sire, what did you bring me?" Duran asked.
Arthur laughed. "I left it in my saddlebag. I have a gift for your mother as well."
"You didn't need to do that." Gwen said.
"Nonsense. I have every need. You have given me the most precious of gifts and I will never be able to repay you for that." Arthur stood up and lifted Duran into his arms. "Come take a break and see what I have brought you."
Gwen looked around and sighed. "It will have to a brief one. I still have much to do."
Arthur held out a hand to her she took it and they walked to Hunith's house.
Gwen smiled when she walked in and saw Gaius sitting at the table. "Gaius what are you doing here?"
"I came with Arthur to check on you and the boy." Gaius looked at Duran in Arthur's arms. "He is much bigger than I remember."
"Do I look that poorly that you needed to bring a physician to examine me?" Gwen looked at Arthur.
"I just wanted to make sure there were no problems and you are much thinner than I expected." Arthur said gently. He didn't want to make her angry with him.
"Food is not plentiful here. That is all it is. I make sure that Duran is well fed and sometimes that means giving him part of my meal as well. You will not have to worry over me for much longer on that account. I'm sure I will regain my former form when we return to Camelot." Gwen said as she looked at Arthur.
"You are coming to Camelot soon?" Arthur asked.
"I am going to go with you when you leave. That is why I am working so hard to be finished with everything before I leave." Gwen said.
Arthur looked relieved and stunned at the same time.
Gwen smiled. "Duran needs his father. He deserves to know you and you deserve to know him. It was wrong to keep him from you for so long. I see that now."
"Thank you. I promise to be a better father than my own." Arthur said.
"Arthur, you have shown me that already." Gwen said. Gwen sat on the bench next to Gaius. "Here I am physician examine me."
Gaius smiled. He checked her eyes and her pulse. "Sire, she is tired and thin. Good food and rest is all that I prescribe. It will be good to have you in Camelot again, Gwen."
"Duran, this is Gaius he wants to look at you the same way he just looked at your mother. Will you let him do so?" Arthur said to the boy.
"Yes Sire." Duran nodded.
Arthur put Duran down and Gaius smiled at him. Gaius looked at the boy carefully.
"He is healthy, Sire. He is small but so were you at this age. He has your mark on him. He reminds me of your mother. You always favored her more than your father." Gaius said.
Arthur smiled. "He has his mother's spirit and her curls."
"Indeed Sire. Gaius smiled up at the King.
Hunith handed Gwen a cup of water. "You need to let Micah help you. That way you can spend time with Arthur."
"That was very obvious, Mother." Merlin said.
"It's all right, Merlin. I will have plenty of time to spend with Arthur when I go to Camelot. Tell me, is my house still empty? I will have to clean it thoroughly before we move in." Gwen said.
"Your house is empty but I thought that you would live in the castle with me." Arthur said.
"As your Queen?" Gwen said. "I don't think we have resolved everything we need to before that can happen. I will move into my house with Duran. He will be allowed to spend as much time with you as you like until we resolve our issues."
"I understand." Arthur nodded. It wasn't the outcome he was hoping for but it was progress.
"I need to get back." Gwen drained the cup and stood up.
"You didn't get your gift." Arthur said. He looked around and saw his saddlebag. He pulled out a large paper wrapped package and presented it to her.
She untied the string holding the paper and gasped at the purple silk inside. "It's beautiful but it is also very impractical. It's too nice to scrub floors and do wash in a dress made of this."
"You will have a servant for that. You will not have to work hard ever again. I promise that even if you never become my Queen." Arthur said.
Hunith and Merlin looked at each other. Gaius frowned. The thought that Gwen would not become Queen was something no one wanted to think about.