From Prat to Husband, how the hell did that happen?

Chapter Fifteen, Earthen Magic

Chapter Fifteen, Earthen Magic

"You should be resting Merlyn." Gaius reprimanded, as his niece/Ward came down the steps from her room and into the main chamber where he was talking to Gwaine as he prepared some potions for the patients he had to see today.
"You know I can't stay still for long, Gaius." Merlyn said, with a shrug and a cheeky smile.
"Yes." Gaius sighed as if put upon. "I know that perfectly." He shook his head as his mind wandered to all the times his niece had either been seriously sick or injured in the last few years and had refused to stay still for more than a day or two. Depending on the ailment. Just then the door opened revealing a worried Gwen as she rushed straight to Merlyn ignoring the other two in the room.

"Merlyn, are you alright?" Gwen asked frantically, as she checked over her best friend.
"I'm fine Gwen. Don't worry." Merlyn assured, smiling softly at her friend.
"Gwen, perhaps, you could do us a favour?" Gaius asked.
"Anything Gaius." Gwen rushed out. "It's not right what Uther has done to her. I heard Arthur and Sir Leon are apocalyptic with rage. Especially Arthur." She emphasised to Merlyn, who blushed.
"Do you have the day off?" Gwaine questioned, after he had greeted Merlyn and handed her a cup of tea.
"Yes, why?" Gwen asked, confused.

"Arthur has given Merlyn the time off to heal but she refuses to rest. Gwaine has training with Arthur and I have rounds to run." Gaius explained.
"Of course I'll keep her company and out of trouble, you know that Gaius, she's my best friend." Gwen said reproachfully at the end.
"I know, dear girl and thank you." Gaius said gratefully.
"Hey! I don't just walk into trouble you know!" Merlyn exclaimed, her hands on her hips as she scowled at the three of them as they laughed at her.
"I'm sorry Merlyn but your record is against you." Gwen said apologetically. "What with all the times Gaius and I have tended to you."
"Those were not my fault!" Merlyn exclaimed. "Most of the time I'm sick or injured is from when I'm protecting Arthur!"

"Yes," Gwaine hedged, not wanting to upset her. "But we'd prefer it if you weren't alone. Not only are you injured, but we fear that those thugs may try something again when you're alone. I'll be safe, don't worry I have training with Arthur and Gaius will be with someone most of the day doing his rounds."
Seeing as she wasn't going to get anywhere Merlyn sighed and nodded her head.

It wasn't that she didn't want to spend the day with Gwen, she did as they hardly got to, she just hated feeling useless and like an invalid.
"Okay." Merlyn sighed. "What shall we do, Gwen?"
"How about a nice girls day?" Gwen suggested. "A walk in town, and a picnic for lunch."
"Sounds perfect." Merlyn smiled, as she linked arms with Gwen, the two women smiling happily as they bid Gwaine and Gaius a good day and left the chambers, after Merlyn had kissed Gaius's cheek. "And you can tell me all about you and Lancelot. Has he written back yet?" Merlyn teased, a giggle passing from her lips as the door closed.
"I best be off to train with the Princess." Gwaine said, as he bid Gaius goodbye and left not five minutes after Merlyn and Gwen, leaving Gaius alone in his chambers shaking his head but with a small smile on his face.

***

"What took you so long, Gwaine?" Arthur complained, twirling his sword in the middle of the Training Field.
"I had to get this on!" Gwaine complained, as he tugged at the ill-fitting armour.
"You better get used to it. I'll get you your own armour made when we've finished here." Arthur said, before he lunged at Gwaine who parried his attack pushing Arthur backwards aided by the force of Arthur's blow. Arthur and Gwaine fought ferociously neither one of them giving an inch, it was clear to see that although Gwaine had no prior training he was an exceptionally skilled swordsman and he definitely knew how to fight. Unlike the other Knights Arthur has trained in the past. The mock battle between them was drawing attention from all kinds of people as they stopped doing their daily tasks to watch the two, eagerly awaiting who would come out on top.

"Where's Merlyn?" Arthur asked worry and concern shining through. Especially when he spotted Sir Ethan and Sir Oswald in the crowd of onlookers.
"With Gwen." Gwaine answered with a growl, as he too noticed the thugs. More and more people stopped to watch. They were drawing quite a crowd now as neither Arthur nor Gwaine seemed to be able to gain the upper hand over the other. Merlyn and Gwen appeared watching their friends fight against each other, they had been window shopping in the market and tasting the various foods when they heard the commotion and decided to investigate.
"Urgh. Of course they'd come to investigate." Arthur groaned, when he spotted the pair in the forefront of the crowd smiling and cheering them on.

Their attacks came more quickly as they were desperate to get to Merlyn and Gwen before either of those thugs did something to them. Arthur would never again trust them around any maidservant and especially not Merlyn. It's why he'd assigned George to them. If they could attack his dear friend who was also the love of his life, his future Queen. What's to stop them from attacking someone else? No, he preferred not to take that chance with anyone.
Soon the battle or rather training, came to a close. When Gwaine twirled his sword against Arthur's, knocking it from his tight grasp and into the air, where Gwaine promptly caught it before Arthur even had the chance to, and pointed both swords at him.
"Well done. I'm impressed and it takes a lot to impress me but no one fights like you, Gwaine." Arthur congratulated, clapping Gwaine on the back and accepting his sword back.

"Thank you." Gwaine said, as they made their way over to the water jugs.
"I know you didn't want to reveal who you were, I can tell, but you did so for Merlyn and I'm grateful. She...she is a dear friend to me, and the love of my life. My future Queen." He whispered the last. "I...I know I haven't said it to anyone but her, but she has been the only one to treat me as myself, no matter my titles and to call me out when I've done something wrong. She's made me a better person. I know that and I know you're not loyal to me or my father or even to Camelot, you're loyal to her. And I'm grateful she has a friend like you." Arthur said uncertainly at first before he became more certain, string in his words.
"You ever hurt her and I'll kill you." Gwaine growled.

"I could never hurt her." Arthur said strongly his eyes filled with love as he looked to where Merlyn stood with Gwen and Sir Leon laughing and joking.
"I'm starting to see that." Gwaine agreed, as he looked from Arthur who had a look of love on his face directed to Merlyn who glanced over at them and smiled at him before looking at Arthur with the same look.
'No one else will ever hurt you again, Merlyn. I promise.' Arthur thought as he and Gwaine headed over to the group not knowing the fate of Albion was solidifying for the better with Arthur's promise. The Magic of the Earth held him to that promise. That will one day come into play.