Hi ya…so the story continues ; ) Not so much action this time though. And sorry for the switch from Margarit to Mary…my bad...I'm just gonna go with Mary from now on...I wanna finish up this fic in near future – but look forward to a couple more chapters!

The three Ls - Live, laugh and love

It was early morning when Gwen awoke. She stifled a yawn and stretched and then just lay in her comfy bed remembering the events of the past night. It had been wonderful and Arthur - there were no words to describe why her heart fluttered wildly just at the thought of him – had been wonderful. She had come to Camelot hoping to leave as soon as possible and now she just wished she wouldn't have to leave. Despite all odds she had found the one man, the one love, she had been looking for in the place she had least expected. It was too good to be true, too much like the sickeningly sweet happy endings in children's fairy tales and yet it was real. So unbelievably real.

"I assume you had a very pleasant evening with, Arthur?"

Gwen jumped at the sudden sound of a voice, bolting upright in her bed to see who it was even though she would have recognised that voice from a million others.

"God, you scared me", she inhaled deeply.

"Sorry, but it's not my fault that you daydream", Evelyn mused.

"I wasn't daydreaming", Gwen objected while fiddling with the covers.

"Aha", Evelyn wasn't buying it and pointed at her face. "You've got that…"

"Let me guess", Gwen interrupted, "that lovey-dovey look", and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, that makes two of us. So, how about you tell me about Tristan first?"

Evelyn halted abruptly, an even bigger smile creeping on to her face, which she tried to conceal though to no avail.

"I knew it!", Gwen exclaimed taking a hold of Evelyn's arm and pulling her to sit on the bed. "Tell me everything…and don't leave out the details", she smiled girlishly.

"Fine, but after that, it's your turn", Evelyn insisted and then began with retelling the events of the previous evening.

Hours of endless giggling and swooning and bouncing around on the bed went by until both had retold their stories. They might have been grown women but right then they felt like young teenage girls crushing on their first boy.

"It's unbelievable how lucky we are", Evelyn muttered to Gwen who was lying beside her, both staring at the canopy of the bed.

"Yeah, I guess it is", Gwen turned to face Evelyn, "So, when are you going to have that talk with Tristan?"

Fact was that the games had lasted long into the night until nearly half the knights had finally passed out after excessive drinking. Evelyn in the meanwhile had fallen asleep on Tristan's lap, her head resting peacefully on his shoulder in the crook of his neck. So, Tristan along with Dagonet had carried her back to her chambers and set her down to sleep in her bed. By the time she had woken up and found her bearings, she only had time to notice their backs leaving the room before she fell back asleep.

"Well, I hope some time soon. I really have no idea what's been planned for today."

"Arthur said he wanted to start on the whole training-the-children-idea today, so maybe they're helping him out", Gwen suggested. "You know Dagonet would never pass up on an opportunity to be with children."

"Definitely not", Evelyn agreed and they both smiled at the memories of Dagonet being hounded by five or six children at a time, all clinging to him and laughing joyously while he played the big bad monster that had to be slain. "So, how about we have breakfast, get dressed and then head out to see what they're up to?"

"I'm in", Gwen agreed. "Oh, an we should stop by Mary's to see if she wants to join us. I think she might just become a very good friend", she smiled.

"You know what, I think so too", Evelyn smiled back and with that they got out of bed.

Merlin slowly stumbled towards Arthur's chambers nearly tripping over his own feet twice. The games had continued well into the night and he had hardly slept, so not really being a morning person wasn't working in his favour right now. All he wanted was to climb back into his bed and just cuddle with his pillow without disturbance. But your royal pratness would probably have a ridiculous list of things for him to do. Grumbling repeatedly, he opened the door without knocking and stopped dead in his tracks.

"You're dressed?", Merlin uttered. "And you've had your breakfast?" He couldn't believe his eyes. Maybe he was still sleeping and this was just one very very weird dream. So, he pinched himself. Nope, not dreaming. Crap, that hurt. Memo to myself: try something else next time.

Arthur merely shot him a quizzical look and then pushed it aside. "I am capable of dressing myself, Merlin", he emphasized. "As for breakfast: you're late. Again might I say? So, I had someone else bring it."

Merlin just scratched his head, making it an even bigger mess than before. "Yeah, sorry about that. Didn't get much sleep," and he smiled coyly.

"I can see that. You look like you just rolled your way out of bed."

"Kind of did actually", he chuckled.

Arthur shook his head in disbelief. Sometimes he really didn't know why he kept Merlin as his manservant. He was a complete klutz, chaotic and downright useless at times. But then again, it was never boring with him and even if he wouldn't admit it in a million years, he did see Merlin as a friend that he could count on when life got rough.

"You're unbelievable you know that?", Arthur joined in and gave him a slap on his back.

This is definitely a very weird morning, Merlin thought to himself. Arthur usually wasn't so lenient when it came to his tardiness or mistakes.

"What got you in such an exceptionally good mood?", he asked curiously. He was almost certain that it had something to do with Gwen.

Arthur looked at him questioningly, "I'm always in a good mood", he answered and turned away from Merlin filing through papers on his desk.

Merlin couldn't help but laugh. "Now, we both know that's not true", and moved over to the window. "Anyhow, you usually throw numerous objects at my head when I mess up, hence something must be different today. So, what happened with Gwen?"

It seemed Arthur was finally dropping his guard and stepped away from the desk to perch himself on the windowsill. "It went well", he smirked. "Very well. How did you know?"

"Evelyn", Merlin thought her name would be explanation enough.

"Hmm, should have guessed."

"Well, you know girls…always have to talk about boys with their friends."

"And how would you know?", Arthur quipped.

"You've never been in the kitchens have you? It's gossip heaven."

"I'll have to pay it a visit someday", Arthur joked. "So, what else did she say?"

"Nothing much. The last time I talked to her was yesterday evening", he shrugged. "So, did you kiss her?"

Arthur couldn't help but gape at Merlin, "That's none of your bloody business!", and then slapped him across the head.

Clutching his head, Merlin just smiled cheekily, "So you did!" and then laughed again when Arthur started pouting. Once he had settled a certain tension filled the air. "She's the one, huh?", Merlin said seriously more as a statement than a question.

After a few seconds of silence, Arthur turned to face Merlin blushing all the while, "Yeah. She is."

"I'm really happy for you", and Merlin truly meant it. Deep down they both knew they were friends. And that's what friends did.

"Thanks, Merlin", Arthur spoke sincerely. He just nodded in response.

Gwen and Evelyn had hastily gotten ready and were now making their way over to Mary's chambers. While Evelyn was still wearing her usual handmaiden dress, Gwen had opted for a somewhat tight fitting pair of dark brown trousers, a white cotton shirt with an elaborately decorated belt slung around her upper waist and her favourite riding boots. If they were walking about town all day looking for possible trainees and then actually training them, then she didn't want to be stuck in a suffocating dress and impractical shoes.

They knocked on the door and heard Mary call out for them to enter. There were books strewn all over the place, the table, the chair, the carpet...

"You really do read a lot", Gwen stated the obvious.

"It's a mess, I know", Mary pardoned stepping out from behind the partition in a casual dress, similar to the one she had worn the day before on their excursion. She had refrained from knotting her hair in a tight bun and let them hang freely. It really did become her, Gwen and Evelyn thought.

"Well, Gwen is no better", Evelyn teased and received a gentle slap on the shoulder in exchange. "What, I'm only telling the truth! You'd be lost under heaps of clothing and armour and who knows what if I weren't there", she added to prove her point.

"Alright, so I'm not the tidiest. Doesn't mean there isn't an order to it. I know where I put things nonetheless…it's organized messiness", Gwen beamed making all three of them laugh.

"So, what's the plan for today?", Mary asked half occupied with finding her other slipper.

"Well, Arthur wants to start training boys from town who want to become knights", Gwen announced proudly. "He thinks everyone should be given the opportunity no matter what their lineage."

"That's very noble of him," Mary didn't seem all too surprised. "But then again our nobility wouldn't agree. Rather ironic, don't you think…and depressing."

"Let's hope Arthur changes all that", Evelyn put forward.

"With Guinevere by his side I don't think there's away around it", Mary agreed smiling at Evelyn. "Any don't put any energy into denying it – we all know he's going to chose you", she pointed to Gwen before she could object.

"Fine. But what is 'there's no way around it' supposed to mean?", Gwen pouted crossing her arms.

"Fairly simple. First of all, you don't exactly pose as a good example for customary noble behaviour, which I like by the way, and secondly, you have a way of influencing him like no other", Mary explained.

"Good to know", Gwen chuckled. "And thank you, for the compliment. I thrive in rebellion", she stated comically.

"So, we'll be going to town and the training fields, I assume?"

"Yes, so look forward to a long day out", Evelyn looked slightly weary.

"Right, and on the way we'll fill you in on all of last nights events", Gwen added raising her eyebrows towards Evelyn suggestively.

"Would you stop that, it's not like you and Arthur were the epitome of innocence either", Evelyn shot back.

Mary was clearly enjoying their banter. "Looks like I have a lot to catch up on. And I can hardly wait", she chimed grabbing both their arms and leading them out of her room.

I'd appreciate every and all reviews. They're like energy drinks, just way better! ; )