The Golden Effect

Gwaine

Hope you enjoy the chapter... i know I liked writing it ;)

Merlynn was watching Gwaine pack his belongings, a contemplative, guilty look on her face. If she had only done something else, he wouldn't have been forced to leave Camelot on her behalf. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, leaning her head on the stone wall behind her.

"Don't be," he shrugged, and glanced up at her. "You looked terrified, and your clothes were ripped. I've seen what happens to young girls and arrogant, strong knights and I wasn't going to let it happen to you."

She looked down at her boots. "Thank you, by the way. I probably could have taken them on had I not been too terrified of being, uh, attacked."

"That's why I should have gone," he pointed out. "But you're welcome. Besides, I never stay in one place for very long. People get sick of me too quickly."

"I certainly didn't," she announced.

Gwaine snorted in disbelief. "After the trouble I caused?"

She then smiled at the image of him drunk and chattering about one thing or another, and the large bill that Arthur had now paid off. "I wouldn't call it trouble. You livened this place up. It was nice to have someone new in Camelot. Someone especially like you, you wasn't…evil and out to kill the kingdom."

"Make sure you look after Arthur. He's in danger," he stated.

"I thought you hated nobles?" she asked with a rueful grin.

"Heh, well...maybe that one's worth dying for, eh?"

She nodded. "Definitely." Then, she did something rather uncharacteristic after meeting someone for only a short period of time, Merlynn hugged Gwaine tightly around the middle. "Arthur will be a better king than Uther, I'm sure, and then you can come back. I'll find a way to smuggle you in."

His warm arms wrapped around her shoulders, and he chuckled against her hair. "At least I know why you turned me down," he said suddenly.

"And why's that?"

"Because you're in love with Arthur," Gwaine stated so casually that it made Merlynn blush.

She scoffed. "I, uh, I am not!"

"Please, don't deny it. I saw the way he looked when I spoke my reasons. Not only was he worried, but he was jealous," he snorted. "I suppose he likes to be your knight in shining armour, eh?"

"Apparently you beat him to the punch," Merlynn joked.

Gwaine squeezed her tight one more time before releasing her and pressing a kiss to her hand. "I hope to see you again, Princess Merlynn."

"Hopefully the next time you see me you won't refer to me as 'Princess Merlynn'," she countered.

"Nope. Next time you'll be Queen Merlynn," he retorted, and left with a half-hearted chuckle. When he was forced to leave towns, due to his loud and rambunctious behaviour, he simply shrugged it off and kept going. But he was sweet on the dark-haired, doe-eyed servant, and found himself wanting to stay. He had never really been liked or befriended, and this girl had drawn him in almost immediately.

Gwaine would miss her.

oOo

This time, it was not only Merlynn who was hopeless and useless with discovering ideas for the melee. Gaius also could not think of any way, any sort of alternative to using Merlynn's magic; he had been attempting to prevent the usage rate of her magic since recent events. "I don't know what to do, Gaius," she announced desperately, thumbnail taking residence on her bottom lip as she chewed at it nervously.