#3. Welcome To Camelot My Friend
Featured Character: Gwen

Rating/Warnings: K
Word Count: 449
Summary: Gwen makes friends with the boy that was brave enough to stand up to Arthur, Merlin.

#3. Welcome To Camelot My Friend
Gwen saw the new boy in town standing up for Jacob to Arthur. She thought he was a brave soul. Arthur was such a bully and this boy was brave enough to stand up to him. That was when she realized that she wanted to get to know this boy.

She continued to watch as the boy was hauled off to the dungeons by the royal guard. She sighed. There needed to be more people that would stand up for each other in Camelot.

Gwen decided to meet this boy and become his friend. It was only right that he should know that not everyone in Camelot is like the Prince.

The next day as she was coming back from her meal break, Gwen saw him in the stocks. She decided to walk over and introduce herself. As soon as the children went to get more rotten fruit she walked up to him.

"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid." Gwen extends her hand to Merlin.

"Right. I'm Merlin." Merlin smiled up at her. He moves his hand to shake hers. "Although, most people just call me Idiot."

Gwen bit her lip to keep from laughing. "No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave."

Merlin blushed. "It was stupid."

"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him."

Merlin snorted with amusement. "Oh, I...I can beat him."

Gwen was confused. "You think? Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows."

Merlin sighed. "Thanks."

"No!" Gwen insisted. "No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm...Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men, and...well..."

"What?" Merlin asked.

Gwen looked amused. "You don't look like that."

Merlin waves her over as if to share a secret. "I'm in disguise."

Gwen laughs even though she knows she shouldn't. "Well, it's great you stood up to him."

Merlin grinned. "What? You think so?"

"Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero." Gwen explained.

"Oh, yeah?" Merlin grinned even bigger.

Gwen nodded. "Mm-hmm."

Several children ran up with baskets of rotten produce ready to pelt Merlin.

Merlin saw them and smiled. "Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting."

Gwen smiled as she went back to her duties. He seemed nice, she thought.

Over the next few days she and Merlin spent time together at Gaius' getting to know each other. Gwen helped out the Court Physician when she could. They got along well.

When Merlin was made Arthur's manservant, Gwen was more excited than Merlin. They would be working down the hall from each other.