A/N: This was originally written based on prompts from Square Table Challenge over at LiveJournal in 2012. However, life slipped away from me, and I never finished the story. As this story was only beta'ed by me and there was no real plot outline, I decided to edit, and rework it so I could finally complete it! I know many people have been dying to read the rest of the story. I hope it meets everyone's expectations. Please enjoy and leave likes/comments!
Chapter One - Apart
"I don't want to see you dead, Guinevere."
Gwen stands there, quietly hoping that Arthur will find it his heart to forgive her and believe her story. Surely, he knows how she loves him and that all she wants was to be his wife, be his Queen. She longs for him to understand that what happened was a mistake - a huge indiscretion that she wishes with her whole heart that she could change. If only she could turn back time. She has no idea what made her meet up with Lancelot, what made her kiss him. She had waited years to be with Arthur, faced nearly being executed at the hand of his father, took him back after he told her that she was not 'appropriate'. After everything they have been through over the years – the hardships they have faced just to be together.
"But I don't want to see you." Clearly not. "I cannot look on you every day. You will leave Camelot at first light..." She starts to call out his name, but it is too late as he announces his decision. "You return upon pain of death." Gwen cannot believe it. While she understands and hates seeing how heartbroken Arthur was after catching her and Lancelot, she did not think he would do this. She did not really believe that he would banish her and force her to leave her home, her brother and the people she considers family…. And him.
"No." She pleads, but he just apologises when she asks him where she will go. Gwen cannot stop the uncontrollable sobs, tears that streaming down her face - leaving the last wall of strength in her to come crashing down. So much so, that there is nothing left to hold her up, so she collapses onto the floor….
Gwen suddenly wakes up, tears pricking her eyes, her sheets tangled around her - no doubt caused by the constant tossing and turning - her breath going fast.
It is the third night in a row that she has woken up after relieving the night she was banished, the night her life fell apart. Oddly enough, when she fled Camelot to a village just outside of Merica to stay with old friends of her parents, she did not dream - but then she rarely slept. Gwen was too focused and determined to reach her destination.
When she did finally arrive at Albert and Annie's home, she did not go into many details of why she had to leave Camelot so abruptly. Not when they had been so kind and welcoming to someone they had not seen in a long time. The couple left Camelot many years ago after Albert's elderly parents were unable to manage their small farm. She was also afraid that if they knew the horrible reason she left that they would tell her leave. After all, she was a "whore", "an adulterer", "a harlot", who had betrayed the King the night before their wedding. So, she told them that her engagement had ended, and she needed some space away from her ex-fiancée. The not-quite-convinced looks of their faces were evident, but they did not push Gwen, which she greatly appreciated.
As she kept her most of her life in Camelot a secret, Gwen spent her time focussing on helping the couple manage their farm. Albert and Annie were incredibly grateful for her assistance as they were childless, getting older and unable to afford hiring anymore young lads to help take care of the farm.
Deciding that it was very unlikely that she could go back to sleep - despite it is still being dawn - Gwen gets up, goes to the small kitchen and fletches herself a goblet of water. The tossing and turning made her built up some sweat and she's thirsty. Drinking most of it, she places it in the wash bucket, before quietly walking towards the back of the door to grab her shawl off the hook. She wraps around her shoulders, before stepping outside and finding the wooden chair, and sits upon it.
Gazing up at the sky, Gwen watches the fading stars and moon disappear - while the sun replaces it slowly rising and sending all sorts of colours to appear on the horizon – orange, pinks, purple and blues light up the sky.
She sighs a little dejectedly – watching the sky always made her think about home, her brother, her friends – the people she was forced to leave behind. Most of all it makes her think of Arthur and wonder if he is alright or if he had moved on and married someone else; especially since she knows how keen his uncle is to see Arthur married to royal nobility. It was clear that Agravaine did not approve of their "relationship".
She starts thinking that while the predicament she finds herself in is mostly her fault, there is a small part of her that is mad at Arthur. Not just him, but also at her friends and the only family she has left - her brother. They should all know her; know the type of person she is. Surely, they know that she would not betray someone she loves so much so following days and weeks after she were banished from Camelot gave Gwen plenty of time to think – time to reflect about what happened after Lancelot returned. The way he acted and behaved - how different he was to the Lancelot she knew before when he was willing to give up his own life for Arthur's.
She reflected over and over how her own feelings and actions seemed to have changed after he visited her at her home. When he returned, she was happy to see that he had seemly survived, and Gwen must admit that there were some stirrings of the old feelings she had for him. But it was not to the extent of her overwhelmingly love and devotedness she has for Arthur. Then she remembers how her feelings and thoughts started to change after Lancelot visited her to give her a gift! How she could not stop herself from seeking him out at every opportunity! Maybe that was it! Gwen suddenly realises. She thinks about the moment she threw the bracelet off in the dungeons after being arrested. How everything felt much clearer, and all she was consumed with was her love for Arthur and the need to finally be his wife. Her past feelings for Lancelot were gone, left in the past and in the world of 'what ifs'.
Then she thought of the few times Arthur was enchanted and how besotted he had acted. Yes! That must be it. I must have been enchanted by the bracelet! Gwen thinks, relieved to have found a possible explanation for her uncharacteristic behaviour. She then realises that Lancelot would never do such a thing like that. Not unless there something sinister in his return.
"Morning my dear!" Annie greets Gwen warmly, breaking Gwen from her thoughts. "Breakfast is ready,", she tells her, and Gwen returns inside to eat. But as soon as she sits down at the table, the smell of the chicken unsettles her, causing a huge wave of nausea to hit her, leaving her no option but to run behind the screen dividing the dining area to the kitchen and throw her guts out.
Minutes pass and Annie appears by the screen with a fresh cloth for her to wipe her face. "I'm afraid, my dear, there is no use in pretending anymore." Annie kindly tells her, before gently placing her hand upon Gwen's back, softly rubbing circles to help calm her down.
Gwen knows that she is right. Soon enough she will have to admit it, that while she is no longer in Camelot with everyone she loves and away from the man she loves with all her heart, she carries an important piece with her. A piece that she will never be apart from.
Merlin arrives to Arthur's chambers to serve him his breakfast, only to find him once again asleep at his desk. Everyone knows why he has been sullen, angry and depressed the past few weeks, but everyone has been unable to say so. After all, the king is known to for his wraith when he is in such a state and if they wanted to avoid any punishment, they knew it was best to keep silent. No one knew this better than Merlin. So, Merlin accepted Arthur's behaviour, but deep down he knew that Gwen was Arthur's destiny and that her banishment was wrong. Yet, he did not do anything much to help his friend and he felt incredibly guilty. And frustrated. But what could I do? Merlin thinks bitterly. How could I convince Arthur to overturn his decision, when he was clearly still heartbroken over seeing Gwen kiss Lancelot the night before their wedding? Better yet, I had no legitimate reason to give Arthur as to why Gwen would do something that was so unlike her.
Merlin then goes over what he does know. He knows that Lancelot was a Shade brought to life by Morgana. Her intention was to obviously prevent Arthur from marrying Gwen and making her Queen. Ah! A possibility starts swirling in Merlin's mind, Gwen would never willingly betray Arthur that way.Maybe, Gwen was put under some kind of enchantment!
However, before Merlin can really think about what that could mean, he is interrupted by Arthur calling him. Loudly.
"Good Morning, My Lord!" Merlin greets Arthur. But he says nothing, Arthur looks at him, annoyed for no clear reason other than the obvious one. So, Merlin just places his breakfast on his table.
Arthur is about to say something to Merlin tries, but another servant knocks on the chamber door. Arthur motions for him to enters.
"Sire," the servant greets the King,bowing before him, "Your uncle wishes to speak to you privately in his chambers".
"Thank you, Godfric. Please tell my uncle I'll see him shortly." Arthur informs the servant, before he dismisses him. He then orders Merlin to grab his jacket, and after rejecting his offer to eat anything, exits his chambers.
Moments later, Merlin finds himself pretending to be cleaning the King's boots by Agravaine's chamber door. He is doing his best to eaves drop on their conversation, but it is useless. Since Arthur's uncle arrived in Camelot, Merlin has found him trusting Agravaine less and less, particularly after the multiple times Arthur made bad decisions after listening to Agravaine's council.
But despite Merlin's efforts to warn Arthur, Arthur is too stubborn to believe that his uncle might not be as trustworthy as he thinks. Especially as Agravaine is the only blood relative he has left of this mother, and the reality is that without any concrete proof or information on Agravaine's true intentions, it is useless to try and tell Arthur not to trust him.
"Auscultatio!" Merlin mutters under his breath, his eyes glowing gold for a few seconds before returning to their normal blue shade. Now he can hear what they are saying, despite not being in the same chamber.
"For months now we have been negotiating with King Rodor about the disputed lands of Gedref without much success, and now that you are no longer..." Merlin hears Agravaine take a few seconds pause and imagines it's because of the cold stare Arthur is giving his uncle because he had a fairly good idea of what he was going to tell him.
"Now that you are single," he chooses his words carefully, "we can secure a solid alliance with Nemeth by having you and Princess Mithian joined together in matrimony."
What? No, this can't be! Merlin thinks, wondering why Agravaine would suggest such a thing considering it has only been a few weeks since his broken engagement to Gwen. Obviously, Merlin is aware of his disapproval of Gwen, but still to even suggest another marriage so soon is questionable. I mean he just broke of his engagement; Merlin thinks before he remembers that Agravaine clearly has his own motive for wanting to suggest such a thing!
"Uncle," Arthur starts to say hesitantly, but his uncle interrupts him,"Arthur, the latest delegation has just returned from Nemeth informing us that the King will only consider an alliance through marriage between you and his daughter."
"Why wasn't I informed that they had returned?" Arthur asks disapprovingly. But Merlin's attention is diverted away from eavesdropping when he spots two guards turning the corner and making their way towards him. Merlinquickly collects Arthur's boots and hides behind a curtain.
The guards knock on Agravaine chamber door, which suddenly opens. "Sire," Merlin hears one of the guards say, before informing them, "You must come to the dungeons immediately. One of the prisoners has disappeared"
"Thank you for getting this to my attention," Arthur thanks the guard, before Merlin hears Arthur quickly dismisses him. Then Merlin sees Arthur and Agravaine exit his chambers. Leaving Merlin to wonder, who has escaped?
To be continued….