Chapter 13
The deafening silence was interrupted by Merlin carrying a tray of food and two footman carrying bags behind him into the chambers next door. Merlin put the tray on the table and turned to Arthur. "Gaius was asleep before he hit the pillow. Is Duran still asleep?"

"Merlin, we are in the middle of something, maybe you should go." Arthur said.

Merlin turned around and saw Elyan. "Oh right, I'll just go then." He started to leave.

"Merlin, why didn't you tell me where my sister was?" Elyan asked.

Merlin froze. He turned to Elyan. "Gwen asked me not to. I'm sorry. She didn't want Arthur to know either. He found out because he invited himself to visit my mother."

"Elyan, don't be angry at him it was my decision to stay hidden." Gwen said.

Elyan glared at Merlin and then at Arthur. "You didn't say when you were going to marry my sister, Arthur. You must restore her honor."

"I'm trying but she isn't cooperating with me." Arthur said. "She wasn't going to come to Camelot at all but Hunith talked her into it. Now she wants to live in the lower town with my son. I can't force her to marry me."

"Is this true? Gwen, you have to marry him. They will call him a … you know what they will call him." Elyan said. "Does he know Arthur is his father?"

"Yes." Arthur said. "But I don't think he knows I am a King or that he is a Prince. He is a Prince. I have formally acknowledged him and named him as my heir. The decrees are in the vault."

Elyan looked from one to the other in the room. "There better be a wedding by the end of the week or there will be a challenge for my sister's honor."

"Elyan! It's my choice." Gwen said.

"I am serious, Gwen." Elyan said. He looked at Arthur. "What is it going to be?"

"I want the wedding. I have wanted the wedding since I found her and my son in Ealdor." Arthur said. "But as she says it is her choice."

"Like hell!" Elyan said. "I am the head of the family and you will do as I say."

"And if I do not?" Gwen called his bluff.

"I will challenge Arthur and your son will have no father." Elyan said. "What is your decision now, Gwen?"

"Elyan, we should let them handle this the way they want." Merlin said.

Elyan glared at him.

Merlin winced. "I will just shut up now."

Gwen looked at Arthur. "I will marry you but not tomorrow. Give me three days."

"Two counting tomorrow." Elyan said.

"I need a dress that will take three days." Gwen said. "Duran will need some formal clothes. He is a Prince. He needs to look like one."

"I will take care of Duran's clothes." Arthur said. "We will get the royal seamstress on it in the morning."

"In three days then." Elyan said. "She isn't staying here tonight. That would just make matters worse. You are not going to stay in the lower town either."

"The chambers next door were just made up for her and Duran." Merlin said. "Do you want me to carry Duran over to the bed in other chambers?"

"No. I will do it after we eat something." Arthur said. "Go on to bed Merlin. I will see you in the morning."

"I won't be here too early." Merlin grabbed a turkey leg off the tray and left.

Gwen sighed. She wiped a tear from her cheek.

"What is it, Guinevere?" Arthur asked.

"I'm just tired." Gwen said. "I don't know why I'm fighting you on getting married. I guess I'm just afraid."

"There isn't anything to be afraid of." Arthur took her hand a led her to a chair. He knelt down in front of her. "Morgana is dead and we know what really happened with Lancelot was an enchantment."

"What? When did all this happen?" Elyan asked.

"Morgana attacked us in Ealdor. She admitted to enchanting Guinevere to betray me." Arthur said.

"It's true." Gwen nodded. She noticed that Arthur left out the part about Merlin killing Morgana and having magick.

"All that happened because of an enchantment?" Elyan was angry. "You could have killed her. The Council wanted you to execute her."

"That was what Morgana was hoping for as well. She didn't realize that I couldn't ever harm Guinevere." Arthur said. "So many people have suffered because of that enchantment. Things would have been so different without Morgana's meddling."

"Are you sure she is dead?" Elyan said.

"I watched as her body burned. She is not coming back from that." Arthur said.

"I'd say not." Elyan said. He looked at Duran sleeping. "I can't believe I am an uncle. I bet he is a handful."

"He is a good boy." Arthur said. "He is smart and full of spirit. Guinevere did a marvelous job raising him. I am very proud of him."

"How will he be explained?" Elyan asked. "There is bound to be some questions."

"We will tell the truth. That we shared a bed one night in Ealdor and he was the result." Gwen said. "There is no need to make up a story."

Elyan looked at her. "And how will you explain Arthur not knowing about him until now?"

"I will say that I wasn't sure that I was with child until after Arthur had married Mithian. I decided it was best for everyone to stay away but Arthur found me and brought us back to Camelot. That is all true." Gwen said. "We will not hide him or try to cover up what happened. It is not possible. He knows that Arthur is his father and he is attached to him already."

Elyan wasn't happy but he couldn't fault her logic. "I should stay until you are in your own room for propriety sake."

"That really isn't necessary. I'm just to going to eat and leave." Gwen said. She looked at the tray and sighed. "I forgot how plentiful food was here in the castle."

"Sit both of you." Arthur said. "I am starving and I know Guinevere hasn't eaten much all day either. Should we wake Duran so he can eat?"

"No. I'll let him sleep. He will be hungry in the morning. He usually is." Gwen said.

"He gets that from me. I always wake up hungry." Arthur said as he sat at the table. "Elyan has there been anything going on while I was gone?"

Elyan sat down with them. "No except Gwaine is sweet on the new bar maid at the Rising Sun. Her brother threatened to carve him up. But you know Gwaine, he disarmed the man within minutes and ended up buying him a drink."

"That sounds like Gwaine." Gwen laughed. "I have missed you all so much. It will be good to reconnect with everyone again."

Arthur loaded up a plate and put it in front of her. "Eat something."

"This is too much." Gwen looked at the plate.

"Eat what you can. You promised me that you would fill back out." Arthur said.

"Arthur! I'm not going to make a pig of myself just because you think I'm too thin." Gwen glared at him.

Elyan laughed. "I will see you tomorrow morning before I go on patrol. I think I can leave you alone."

"We are not alone." Arthur nodded toward the bed. "Duran is our chaperone."

"Yes he is. Goodnight." Elyan left them alone.

Gwen was surprised that she had an appetite she ate more than she would normally. Riding all day had made her ravenous.

Arthur looked over at her nearly empty plate. "I thought you said it was too much. Do you want anything more?"

"No. I am stuffed." Gwen yawned. "I need to sleep."

"I'll carry him over to your chambers." Arthur got up from the table and took Duran off the bed. "He hasn't stopped snoring since we arrived."

"He snores like you." Gwen teased.

Arthur smiled. "I suppose I do snore a little." Arthur carried Duran out the door and into the other chambers.

"A lot." Gwen teased.

"Really? I didn't think I snored that much." Arthur said as he laid Duran on the bed. "Good night, Guinevere."

"Good night, Arthur." Gwen kissed him on the cheek. "Sleep well."

Arthur left her to go to bed in his own chambers alone.
X

The sun was already shining in the sky when Gwen felt Duran shaking her to wake up.

"Mummy, where are we? What is this place?" Duran asked.

Gwen opened her eyes and squinted at the sunlight. "We are in Camelot. We are in the castle."

"A real castle! Where is Sire?" Duran asked.

"In his chambers, I think." Gwen sat up in the bed. "It's late."

Duran climbed up on a chest by the window and looked out. "Camelot is big."

"Yes it is. Now get down from there." Gwen said.

There was a knock on the door and Duran ran to open it.

"Duran wait!" Gwen was stiff and sore from riding. "She winced as she tried to get up."

Duran opened the door before she could stop him.

"Uncle Merlin!" Duran shouted

"Gwen?" Merlin called out from the corridor.

"I'm decent. Come in." Gwen managed to stand up.

"Arthur wants you both to join him for breakfast. He wants me to take Duran to the seamstress for his wedding suit afterwards." Merlin told her.

"That sounds fine. Bring him back when you are done so you can get on with your duties." Gwen said. "I ache all over."

"It's the riding. Gaius fells the same. He didn't even get up this morning. I'll be doing his rounds this afternoon." Merlin said. "Duran, where are your boots?"

Duran shrugged.

"They must be in Arthur's chambers. I don't see them here. He took them off last night when he put Duran on the bed." Gwen said.

"I'll tell him you are on your way. Duran, come on. Let's go find your boots." Merlin smiled to Gwen as he held his hand out to Duran.

Duran looked at Gwen and she waved him out. He took Merlin's hand and they went to Arthur's chambers.

Gwen looked around and saw that her things had been brought to her. She found her brush and changed into a dress before going to Arthur's chambers. She thought she should at least try to look presentable to her husband to be.