DISCLAIMED

Repayment in Robes

Arthur hummed happily as he wandered down the corridor. Sure, Morgana was still on the loose and Mercia was threatening war, but he had his wife back. His sweet, loving wife was no longer a puppet of the most evil High Priestess in the history of the Old Religion.

For the past week, everyone had noticed a sharp improvement in the king's mood- similar to the happiness in those three years without Morgana and without bloodshed. He whistled, he smiled, and he even said some nice things to Merlin. Anna, a maid, had walked in on Arthur complimenting the warlock and had dropped into a dead faint. It had taken Gaius several hours to revive the young woman.

Right now, he was on cloud nine.

As he passed an open room, he doubled-back at the sight of his wife stitching up a dress. She was wearing the deep blue dress she wore on the day at the lake. It seemed as though her seamstress skills had gone with her servant status- she had not been seen working for so long.

"What are you doing?"

Gwen almost fell out of her chair in shock. She had been extra jumpy since the whole incident.

"Arthur, you startled me," she admonished her husband, "I was not expecting anybody to come in whilst I was working."

He shrugged, dropping to a seat next to her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, stroking his hand against the soft material that she was using. Hitting it away, she turned to him, one eye still on the dress.

"I am making a dress for Dolma," Gwen beamed at the gown with pride, "Merlin told me that she liked dresses, so I thought I would make a new one as a thank you. It is the polite thing to do, is it not?"

Arthur frowned slightly.

"All she asked was that we remember what saved you," he relayed, "Anyhow, how are we supposed to find her again? It was said that she is a reclusive woman- mind you, I could tell with that outfit that she does not get out much."

"Arthur," Gwen snapped, "Do not be so rude. Anyway, I think that Gaius would somehow figure out a way to locate her- he is a rather clever man."

The blonde rolled his eyes as he looked at the half-finished dress. It was perfectly simple, bearing a similarity to the dress that Gwen had worn to Elyan's funeral, except with a thinner material that would fit the body. The dark colouring blended in with the very dark sky that had clouded over Camelot the night before.

"Still the best seamstress in the kingdom, I see?" Arthur smiled.

Gwen rolled her eyes as she continued with the straight pattern. Her husband watched with fascination as her delicate hands moved over the pattern, not missing a single patch of fabric.

"It is awfully off-putting when you watch me do this over my shoulder," she told him absent-mindedly, not taking an eye off her work.

"I know," Arthur smirked, "I just want to spend some time with you, that's all."

"And why is that?" asked Gwen, cautiously.

"Well Guinevere, you have been under the influence of Albion's greatest enemy and could have been lost forever, going into that lake. You told me that you did not love me, that you never have and that it was all a trick. I just want to make sure that if anything happens to you, that you know I love you."

"You said that to me the other day, when I was under the influence," Gwen countered, with a small smile.

"Yes, but I was not sure that you took it into consideration, what with being enchanted and all," Arthur beamed, placing his arms around her. She placed her head on his shoulder, watching her work with a slanted view. Realising that this would not be very successful, she retracted it to its original position as means of continuation.

"That was nice, oh beloved Guinevere," Arthur groaned, "Why did you stop?"

"You are distracting me," Gwen told him, "If it were not Dolma, then your 'beloved' Guinevere would most like be plotting against you. Let me get on with my work, and we can have dinner together. Is that okay, my lord?"

"But I am a welcome distraction?"

The dark-haired woman raised her eyebrows at her husband.

"You know you want to admit it," Arthur teased, "Come on Guinevere, I know you want to admit it."

"Fine," Gwen admitted, "You are a welcome distraction so long as I finish this dress before dusk tonight! Now please, try to be a lesser preoccupation. This is the least I could do for a woman who risked admitting her magic to save the wife of a man who has sorcery condemned. If the task failed, and I was lost, would you have blamed her?"

"Yes," Arthur looked to the ground, blushing, "I would have."

"But I was saved, so be grateful."

"You are right," the male monarch, "I would have had her executed if it had failed, but it all was good. I shall let you continue with your work, as long as I may survey it to make sure that it is adequate for the lady who saved the life and soul on my wife."

Gwen smirked.

"Fine, just do not say and do not touch anything."

"I can promise the second, but not the first."

Gwen beamed as Arthur kissed her softly on the cheek.

Things were beginning to look up.

Hey, sorry it's short this week guys, too much revision/homework has left me drained. Only four more episodes of Merlin EVER! Sad face.

Opinions:

ARWEN IS BACK IN BUSINESS! Even though there has been some in the past few weeks, but it is now true! The 'I love you,' bit, the 'all my heart,' and the ever so beautiful hug in the water. Oh and 'if I lose her, I lose everything.' I was awe-ing and smiling throughout the whole thing.

Mordred used some magic. Yay.

The whole Merlin as a woman thing had me laughing so hard. When Gaius said about who would help Gwen, the dress dropping out the bag and Merlin's voice! I was cracking up. Even my mum, who detests the show, laughed.

Next week looks epic! Merlin better watch his back.

Thanks again to loyal reviewers.

Semper Fi xxx