Disclaimer: I still don't own Merlin or we would have series 6 by now!
I was going to have the engagement party in this chapter but thought it would do better as a chapter by itself so you will have to wait til chapter 14 :'
As always all constructive comments greatly accepted.
Enjoy chapter 13.
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Chapter Thirteen
Arthur and Gwen arrived back at the base late the next day. It had been a lot of waiting at platforms for connections. During this time they had decided upon asking W/C Tristan and Section Officer Parish for permission to marry the next day.
After they had put their bags in their rooms they met up again and went over to the medical flight, when they walked inside they saw Morgana talking to Sqn Ldr Hughes.
"Shall we wait until Morgana is alone?" Arthur asked.
"No Sqn Ldr Hughes is like a father and you'll be able to prove your intentions are good!" Gwen smiled at him.
They walked towards them smiling.
Morgana turned and saw them "What are you doing here, or are you bringing in the patients now?" she laughed, "Hi Arthur, Gwen how was the trip?" She hugged Gwen.
"Very good thanks Morgana, hello sir." Gwen greeted Gaius.
"Gwen, Arthur- congratulations the miniature looks good on you." Arthur had put the miniature back on his uniform jacket. That was another job for tomorrow, getting the ribbon patch stitched on to both his dress and battledress jackets.
"Thankyou sir." Arthur smiled.
Morgana looked at the pair of them "Ok what else happened you two?"
Gwen showed Morgana her left hand "Arthur asked me to marry him and I said yes!" She smiled and looked up at Arthur.
Morgana looked at the pre-offered hand and at the ring that adorned the third finger. "Gwen that is fantastic news, congratulations to both of you!" She hugged her again and then hugged and kissed Arthur on the cheek.
"Congratulations to the pair of you!" Gaius said hugging Gwen and shaking Arthur's hand.
Gwen told them all about the trip, Arthur added bits along the way especially about the investiture and how he proposed to Gwen.
"We're going to catch up with the boys and tell them but Guinevere wanted you to be the first to know." Arthur said as he put his arm around her shoulders and looked down and smiled lovingly at her.
"Ok you two get out of here! That's Dr's orders." Gaius told them with a smile as he ushered them out of the building.
They caught up with the boys coming out of the NAFFI.
"Attention!" Gwaine barked when he saw them coming, the boys all snapped to attention and peeled off sizzling salutes.
"Very funny, at ease you bunch of idiots." Arthur laughed as he returned their salutes.
"Does every DFC come with a beautiful girl on your arm or are you just special?" Leon asked.
"You know me Leon I'm special! But I would rather you showed more respect to the future Mrs Arthur Pendragon if you please." Arthur said hugging Gwen close to him.
"Hello boys" Gwen said.
"So you did it?" Leon said and turned to Gwen "congratulations Gwen I'm so happy for the pair of you." He kissed her cheek and hugged Arthur.
Elyan came up to Gwen "Gwen I know he will make you very happy" he turned to Arthur, "sir when all this is over do I get to call you Arthur or 'Skip' still?" he laughed.
Arthur laughed "from now on when we are in civvies call me Arthur." He turned to the rest of them and that goes for the rest of you as well ok?"
"Yes." They all chorused.
The rest of the boys milled around each taking their turn in congratulating the happy couple.
"I'm thinking we might go to The Rising Sun just for a couple of drinks- not a late night we've had a long day." Arthur told them, "What do you say?"
Merlin said "Sorry Skip but I'm taking Freya to the pictures."
"That's ok Merlin, please say 'Hi' to Freya from us." Gwen told him.
"I will thankyou and can I tell her the good news?" he asked.
"Most certainly." Arthur said with a smile, he turned to the rest of them "what about the rest of you, up to going back to see Gilli again or has he thrown you out?"
"We're his best customers!" Gwaine told him, he looked at the boys "Up for it?"
They nodded.
"1900hrs ok?" Arthur asked.
They all agreed.
"Ok we'll see you later then." Arthur said as he turned to escort Gwen to the Block.
Leon watched them leave and said to the rest of the boys "That was quick work but I'm so happy for the pair of them."
That night Arthur took his MG and did a shuttle run taking Lance and Elyan first, then Percy and Gwaine and then Leon and Gwen. As he pulled up and turned the MG off and Gwen got out (she knew what was coming) he turned to Leon "Leon could I asked a favour of you?"
"You've known me long enough Arthur to know you can ask me anything." Leon told him suspecting he knew what was coming next.
"Yes I know and it's because we have known each other all this time that I decided to ask would you be my best man?"
"It would be an honour Arthur." Leon smiled at his friend.
"Thankyou so very much." Arthur smiled back. They got out and joined Gwen- who was a little away from the car so Arthur could ask in private just as she was planning to do when she asks Morgana to be her brides maid. They all walked into the pub together.
They stayed for a couple of drinks, Gilli congratulated them and refused Arthur's money when he was trying to pay. Arthur then shuttled them back to the base. He dropped Leon near the Officers mess then drove Gwen over to the Block.
He turned off the ignition and turned to Gwen "Goodnight my darling," He looked down at her, "I was thinking how about we see W/C Tristan and Section Officer Parish about 0900hrs, I have a feeling we are going to be on ops tomorrow night. What do you think sweetheart?"
"You see W/C Tristan and I'll brave Section Officer Parish then we meet say 1000hrs and compare notes." Gwen said.
"Sounds like a plan to me my lovely Guinevere." He smiled and got out of the car, came around and opened Gwen's door. When she got out he wrapped her in his arms "I love you Guinevere." He said then kissed her deeply.
As they broke apart for air Gwen panted "I love you Arthur."
"I'd better go darling, good luck in the morning, I'll see you 1000hrs at the NAFFI ok?"
"That's a date my love." Gwen told him and kissed him she then turned and walked into the Block as Arthur got into the car but did not start the engine until she was inside.
At 0900hrs the next morning Arthur knocked on the door of W/C Tristan office "Enter." was heard, Arthur opened the door and marched in and came to attention in front of W/C Tristan's desk, "at ease Arthur." The Wingco looked at Arthur as Arthur stood at ease, "Welcome back, the patch looks good on your jacket" (Arthur had managed to get that job done first thing this morning)
"Thankyou sir." He smiled.
"What can I do for you today?" the Wingco inquired.
"Sir I would like permission to marry Flt/Lt Madden."
"Have you asked her?"
"Yes sir and she said yes, I had already asked her father's permission and introduced her to my father." Arthur told him.
"Well it sounds like you have covered all my questions except one and I hate to ask but I have to I'm sorry, you haven't got Gwen into trouble have you?" W/C Tristan had an apologetic look on his face.
"No sir, I'm going to do it properly and wait til our wedding night." Arthur was starting to get angry.
"Calm down Arthur, I hated asking as much as you hated answering it!" The Wingco said.
"I understand sir."
"I can't see any problems, we will just have to fill in the forms and that will be it." He came around his desk smiling at Arthur and held out his hand. "Congratulations Arthur- I know you will be very happy together."
"Thankyou very much sir." Arthur said shaking the pre-offered hand.
"Ok is that all?" Arthur nodded "By the way your crew is on for tonight alright? Go on get out of here I dare say you have planned to meet a certain Flt/Lt somewhere once you both have asked for permission!" He smiled again.
"Thankyou sir."
At 1000hrs Arthur found Gwen coming towards the NAFFI. He came up to her and said "Hello" but she was distracted it was not until he touched her shoulder did she look up.
"Arthur you scared me!" she said looking like she was about to burst into tears.
"Darling what is the matter?" Arthur asked holding her close to his chest.
"Let's sit down with a mug of tea and I'll tell you." Gwen said trying to calm down.
Once they had their mugs of tea and got a table Gwen started to tell him.
"I went and saw Section Officer Catrina Parish, she is called' The Troll' and until today I didn't know why, oh but I do now!" She looked like she would start to cry.
Arthur took her hands in his "It's alright darling, take it slowly."
"I asked her for permission to marry you, I had the engagement ring on," she looked down at the ring remembering the scene, "Her beady little eyes spotted it in no time, she came around her desk and practically pulled my arm up to look closely and drool over it. She asked about you, how long had I been going out with you, if you were Uther's son, had you asked Dad for permission, had I met Uther, when did you propose, all of that I could handle but then she said 'Well if you marry him you would be set for life', I was stunned and then she really floored me with 'You're not pregnant are you?' I said 'No I wasn't', she asked 'how did I know?', I said 'Firstly I am a nurse and I would know', she came back with 'There are reasons why so many male fantasies involve nurses', I could not believe it, I said 'We have never done anything like that and also I am still a virgin.' She just smiled like the cat who got the canary, she said that was all she wanted to know and that permission would be granted, oh Arthur it was awful!" she started to cry.
Arthur came round the table and knelt down and took her into his arms. "Darling I'll go over there now and kill the bitch!" he seethed with anger.
In between sobs Gwen said "No Arthur she's not worth it….we got permission that is all that is important…. How did you go with the Wingco?"
"He asked his questions including 'if I got you into trouble- but the difference was he apologised before asking and he only asked once and did not persist with it. He also told me as I was leaving that we are going to have a week's leave in about three weeks, so I thought we could have a little engagement party for the crew, our fathers, Morgana, Freya, Sqn Ldr Hughes and a few others and us. Just a few drinks at The Rising Sun what do you think?" he looked into her eyes.
"That sounds lovely my darling." Gwen smiled at him.
"That's my girl." Arthur said and kissed her and hugged her again.