Chapter 16

"Remind me again what today is about again", Merlin asked Arthur as he was dressing the heir into his finest clothes. After Arthur had assumed power and been officially crowned king, they had started receiving endless strings of envoys from the neighboring kingdoms and Merlin was getting tired of it all. One would think Camelot would run out of allies much faster than that, he thought.

"We are receiving some special guests. I want you on your best behavior", Arthur repeated the day's program and pushed the boy to emphasize his last words.

It had been a little over a year since they had left most of their friends behind and Arthur had noticed that their absence had taken its toll on Merlin. Apparently the boy needed friends. Huh. Arthur had underestimated his relationships with the trio back then. In retrospect, he probably shouldn't have told Gwaine to stay, at least he could've kept Merlin a little company while Lancelot and Oliver were away. Well, nothing I can do about that now. Maybe this day would cheer him up. In fact, Arthur was sure of it.

They made their way into the throne room and Arthur and Merlin took their positions to patiently await for the guests' arrival. They didn't need to wait long, as a group of servants and knights soon lead the party in front of them. Merlin didn't really care who the guest were. At least, not until he saw Oliver.

Oliver smiled at him like the sun. Merlin glanced at Arthur, who smiled at him and encouraged him to go greet her. Oliver, however, gave him no such time and ran up to him to punch him in the arm. "I see you are doing fine even without us three to protect you", she joked and pretended to protect him from Arthur who played along and tried to look threatening. Suddenly Merlin felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Lancelot smile at him. "Lancelot!" He wrapped his arms around the man and patted his back before taking a step backwards. Oliver turned to one of the servants to get something. "And here.." She came up to him and placed something heavy in his arms. "..is Galahad." Merlin carefully held the baby and stared into his eyes. "He's precious. Where does the name come from?"

"Lancy absolutely refused to name the child after Gwaine, so I had to develop something based on the first syllable alone", Oliver told him.

"Why would you want to name our son after this man, anyway? If we named him Gwaine he'd grow up as irresponsible as his namesake", Lancelot argued. Merlin smiled, realizing that the parents of the baby didn't get along any better than they had a year ago.

"He's the one responsible for Galahad's existence, that's more than enough reason to name him after him", Oliver stated. Merlin had revealed to her what had happened and Gwaine's accidental fault in getting her pregnant, but Oliver hadn't been mad, as it had saved her from marrying Blob.

"You expect me to believe that Gwaine used magic just to get us to lie with one another?" Lancelot asked. He carefully took Galahad into his own arms. As Arthur stood up and started to look curious, Merlin hurried to cover for his slip up. "While he was being possessed, yes." Arthur sat down again. "Should have known. You need to have brains to be a sorcerer", Lancelot continuing his friendly rivalry with the other man, though this time seemingly alone.

"My, my, my ears are blushing", a familiar voice joked. Merlin froze. Aware that everyone in the room was observing his actions, he slowly turned around to see Gwaine. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Gwaine had no such trouble and simply grabbed his shoulders to take a good look at him. "Merlin, old friend. You don't look half bad, actually. Has Arthur finally stopped pushing you around?"

"He wishes", Arthur interjected.

Gwaine shook his head and laughed. Merlin had a smile on his face, which he couldn't tear from his face, so he looked down in order not to look completely idiotic. He still hadn't spoken. Lancelot patted him on the back to encourage him but still nothing came out.

Oliver stepped up to Arthur and asked him something. Arthur took a hard look at her, calculating something, then nodded. Oliver winked at him as a thank you, then returned to the others.

"I'll never get used to seeing you in a dress", Merlin told Oliver, having finally regained his ability to speak.

"Neither will anyone else. She only wears them for formal audiences and special occasions, which are few and far in between", Lancelot stated with a displeased tone. "She spent most of the pregnancy practicing her skills with the sword."

"Is that safe?" Merlin asked. He had been under the impression that women remained mostly inactive while expecting.

"No", Lancelot said. Oliver rolled her eyes at him. "A little exercise never hurt anyone."

"A little exercise and a sword threatening our child are two very different things", Lancelot pointed out. Oliver didn't seem entirely convinced but let it slide. "The important thing is, he is alive and healthy now." Lancelot shook his head again, smiling at her attitude that showed more than a hint of consequentialism. Merlin grinned as he followed the couple's arguing. Then he saw Lancelot's face change. He followed his gaze and saw Gwen make her way to Lancelot. "He is lovely", she said as she tickled the baby's nose. Lancelot looked ashamed, and Merlin saw that Oliver noticed this too. She had a thoughtful look on her face. She then went to greet Gwen as if nothing had happened.

Merlin was afraid to look at Gwaine. Everything he wanted to say seemed useless, so nothing actually came out.

"Are you now doing better?" Arthur asked him, having appeared by his side.

"How so?"

"I'm not an idiot Merlin. You haven't enjoyed yourself this past year because all your friends were away."

Merlin realized that this was one of the moments when Arthur had actually done something nice for him. "Thank you."

"You're excused for today. I imagine you have a lot to catch up on", Arthur said and motioned him to go.

"Wow, you are really going soft."

"I can still change my mind." Arthur's voice warned him not to push his luck.

"Right." Merlin ran along and lead his friends to Gaius' chambers.

As they told each other what had happened in the past year or so, the fact that Gwen had followed them seemed to bother Oliver. Lancelot still looked shameful as he held on to Galahad in his arms as Gwen was sitting next to her. Oliver said she needed to go, not wanting to watch the man's anguish any longer. As she left, Lancelot looked at her go and looked guilty. He excused himself too, saying that Galahad was getting tired as it had been a long day for the infant. Gwen left soon after, leaving Merlin alone with Gwaine.

"So, how are you really doing here?" Gwaine asked and placed his elbow on the table so he could lean his head against his hand.

"Now that Arthur is king, he is like a living target for all things magical and not. I've been busy is an understatement." Merlin knew that wasn't what Gwaine had asked him but pretended he didn't. He wanted to avoid the conversation as long as he could.

Apparently not too long. "Are you seeing someone?" Gwaine sounded really casual, as if he didn't even care.

"I don't have the time."

"Right, protecting Arthur's hiney must be a full time job."

"And you?"

"Sure, now I'm here to help you, along with Lancelot and Oliver, so it should become easier for you now."

"No, I mean.. are you..?" He trailed away. Gwaine seemed genuinely surprised. "Oh! Well, nothing too serious. I met an old friend of mine and we had a little tryst, but she left me soon after. We were both recovering from other people, so it was just for mutual comfort, I suppose."

Merlin kept his face calm, even though he hated the idea of someone else with Gwaine, and yet, he only had himself to blame. He had all but told Gwaine that he didn't really care about him. Of course the man had been free to do whatever he wanted. As far as he knew, he needed to get over Merlin since he didn't want him. "Had you been with her before?"

"Yes. That time we were together for some time."

"What happened?"

"What always happens. I fall for people, they dump me. Not unlike you." Merlin's eyes widened. Gwaine's eyes searched to reach Merlin's and rested on them lazily. He laughed to stop Merlin from looking so shocked. "Well, no use rubbing the past in anyone's face, I guess."

"So you haven't found anyone serious, then?"

"No. The thing we had, you and me, and how it ended..I'm just not up to it anymore."

"I'm sorry", Merlin said softly.

"I don't want to guilt you, we were both wrong. Breaking up was the right thing to do."

"But if you've lost the will to find someone.."

"You don't need to worry about me, Merlin. Lord knows you have enough problems on your own." Gwaine chuckled and patted him on his shoulder. "I think I'll hit the sack now. See you tomorrow."

Merlin got up. "Wait."

"Don't, Merlin. We're fine now; let's just leave it at that", Gwaine told him without turning.

Merlin raised his hand and used his natural magic to stop Gwaine from moving. He then realized what he had done, and released Gwaine. "I'm sorry."

Gwaine, now free to move again, turned around. Fortunately for Merlin he looked more surprised than angry. "You can do that?"

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"Since always."

"Huh." Gwaine raised his eyebrows and then turned to leave again.

"I'm sorry. I thought you would be happier if we stopped seeing each other", Merlin called after him.

"Why would you think that?"

"When we were together, I was constantly jealous of you. You on the other hand were constantly aware of the fact that my destiny would always take presidence over you. I figured I would do us both a favor by leaving you. But..I really do want to be with you."

Gwaine stared at him. He felt as if Merlin had just took a knife, stuck it through his heart and then backed up to start again. He thought returning to Camelot would be alright. He hadn't expected Merlin to make him go right back to where they had started, all in the course of one single evening. "Sometimes I wonder if you really are just playing a game with me. A cruel, hurtful game."

He left through the door and Merlin was left alone.

Outside, Gwaine walked a few doors further in order not to be seen in case Merlin would decide to follow him. Then he collapsed against one of the pillars. His shoulders convulsed as he cried.

Lancelot happened to see him on his way to Merlin, as he had forgotten one of Galahad's socks there. When he saw Gwaine, he stopped. First he thought the man was drunk, but when he realized that he was crying, he hid behind a corner. Fortunately for him, Gwaine recovered quickly, wiped away his tears and then left as if nothing had happened. Lancelot came from his hiding place and stared after the man. He didn't understand what was going on between the two, but he figured it was high time he did.

In Gaius' chambers he saw Merlin hug his knees in front of the table. "If you're looking for the sock, it's right there on the door knob", the boy told him without a hint of passion or interest in his voice.

"I just passed by Gwaine. You two can't continue like this. We're back now, and you are going to have to figure out a way to get along."

"I told him I wanted to be with him. He told me I was being cruel."

"Well, you are not being terribly systematic with him, that's for sure."

"That's what he said." Merlin got up. "Where are you going?" Lancelot asked.

"To take a walk. I think I need to clear my head a little."

Lancelot returned to his and Oliver's chambers. He walked over to Galahad to kiss the boy goodnight. Oliver was already sleeping. He undressed himself and snuck under the covers as well. Oliver turned to face him. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"No, I couldn't sleep. Not before I tell you something." Lancelot nodded. Oliver continued. "I saw you earlier with Gwen."

Lancelot winced and opened his mouth to explain, but Oliver stopped him. "Don't deny it. You still love her. That's fine with me. I just don't want you to think of Galahad as an accident. Though, granted, he kind of was one", she added.

"I'm sorry. About Gwen." Even though Lancelot and Oliver's marriage was more or less a sham orchestrated by her father and Arthur to give both parties what they wanted, Lancelot, always a traditionalist, didn't think it right to harbor feelings for one woman when he was married and had a child with another.

"If she wants, we can get an annulment and you can marry her. Now that Galahad was born in wedlock, I think my father would mind less if the two of us went our separate ways."

"Wouldn't that make you unhappy?" Lancelot had never asked her seriously why she had chosen to marry him. Merlin had always hinted that there was something in her way of dealing with him, but Lancelot had always refused to see it.

"You gave me my life back. It's only right I give you yours." Oliver kissed his cheek and fell asleep under a second. Lancelot was left alone with his thoughts.