Comments: just another little story, slightly strange - but I hope you like it. I own nothing.

They watched as the Young Warlock Liam was sentenced to death. Despite attempts from Merlin to try and stop the sentence, there was nothing he could do about it – the boy was to be executed in the morning.

Merlin lay on his bed upset. Liam was just a boy, a boy with special abilities, but a mischievous personality made him use his magic to play tricks on people.

A light knock on the door made him sit up.

Gwen entered and Merlin lay back on his bed.

"Merlin I like to think of myself as a close friend...and what I am about to say to you is as such. I know Liam has more in common with you, than you let on" at her words Merlin sat up his face a mixture of confusion and surprise. "So as someone with a common background I think he needs guidance rather than death...what I am trying to say Merlin...do the right thing"

"How did you know?"

"I like to think I am one of your closest friends, I would not think that so if I did not realise how special you are" Tears formed on Merlin's eyes and he hugged her.

"Thank you" he whispered into her hair, he was relieved that someone other than Gauis know who he was and accepted it.

"Now what can I do to help?" he pulled back from her a big smile forming on his lips. She wanted to help him, she knew she shouldn't but a young boy who had a chance to change needed help.

"You are wonderful, have I ever told you that?"

She laughed "I believe you have not"

After much deliberation they had decided that Guinevere was to distract the guards on pretence of bringing the prisoner some food.

"Are you ready?" Merlin asked near the dungeon.

She looked down at her dress, not exactly temptress.

"Not quite, pull my dress tighter at the back" that would help in their mission.

Merlin's eyes went wide, Gwen the hussy what would Arthur think?

"Come on Merlin"

He did as he was told. "Tighter" she couldn't breathe but her chest was now bulging.

"I can't get it tighter"

"Well then it will have to do" Gwen turned round and Merlin took her in and blushed. He should not be gawping at his best friend.

"Great....I better go, good luck" She picked up the plate of food and smiled at Merlin before she started to descend into the dungeons.

She had never thought herself a temptress but if it saved an innocent life, she would have to do what she could, she just needed to buy Merlin some time.

Two burly guards sat on the table watching the prison, the stench of sweat and drink became almost unbearable as she got nearer to the last few stairs.

"What are you doing here?" the older guard drawled.

"Food for the prisoner?" she smiled sweetly.

"I haven't seen you before?" the old guard, circled her and looked her up and down.

"No you just haven't noticed me before" her eyes met his.

He laughed "Oh...we would have noticed you...wouldn't we Kelan?" his eyes focused only on her chest, she felt sick with his stench.

The young guard laughed "Oh yes such a beauty like that I would have defiantly noticed"

Maybe this was not such a good idea, come on Merlin.

The constant flirting was making her feel sick and with relief the sign of the coast being clear finally came.

She jumped off the table she had been sitting on "Well is that the time, I must be off"

"Oh come on...you can't leave now the fun hasn't started" the older man drawled over her.

"Well, I would stay but Prince Arthur is waiting for my services....and you know what his temper is like...I wouldn't want to tell him, you were the reason for my tardiness" The guards took a step back and looked a little afraid.

"What about the food?" the young guard questioned as it sat on the table.

Damn, in her bid to escape she had forgotten the whole pre-tense for her being there. "Well...perhaps you would be kind enough to deliver it for me, you are after all the reason I am late" she leaned forward a little too far over the banisters.

"Anything for you my lady" he mock bowed, she smiled at him and quickly made her way quickly up the stairs.

She prayed that Merlin would have got Liam safely away from here. She quickly made her way out and to her house, where Merlin would come after he had completed the mission.

She lit the candles in her home and paced up and down waiting for Merlin to return. The sound of bells ringing made her feel even more nervous, they had found him missing.

Merlin finally came through the back door and scared her, he was out of breath.

"Coming..they"

Her eyes went wide, they would be searching the houses, led by Arthur.

"SIT" she ordered and quickly grabbed some bread, two goblets and some plates and placed them on the table.

She ripped the bread and scattered crumbs on the plates and filled the goblets.

Merlin was too out of breath to talk...the sound of dogs and opening of doors getting louder.

She kicked him under the table and she burst out laughing and then Merlin did the same realising what her plan was, the door burst open and two guards came bursting in.

Arthur next after them "MERLIN, Guinevere" he took in the scene in front of him. Guinevere wearing a very tight dress, wine goblets, laughter.

"My Lord" she stood up and bowed one of the guards whistled and Arthur stomped on his foot and shot him a dirty look.

"What's going on?" Merlin tried to look relaxed.

Arthur eyed them both suspiciously, how dare he spend time alone with Guinevere, laughing and in that dress. He will definitely not get any time off, ever again.

He cleared his throat, his eyes trying not to stare at Guinevere very revealing dress. "A prisoner has escaped"

"Really, which one?" Merlin said, a slight smile crossing his eyes.

"The warlock boy!" Gwen could see Arthur looking suspiciously at Merlin and his eyes giving him away.

"Well we have seen nothing, but if we do, of course we will let you know" Guinevere spoke softly as she got nearer Arthur.

There were way too many we's in her sentence for his liking.

He just nodded and gestured for the guards to leave, he took one final look at Guinevere and gave a dirty look to Merlin and left. He would deal with it later.

Merlin sighed in relief, but Guinevere felt awful.

When the sound of footsteps finally disappeared Merlin laughed.

"You are a total Minx"

"I do not know what you are talking about" she responded clearing the plates.

"Oh please, first the guards and then the way you spoke to Arthur, you are a definite temptress"

She threw the piece of bread at him.

Merlin laughed "Thank you Gwen, I couldn't have done it without you"

"Of course" she felt terrible about lying to Arthur, it was a really hard thing for her to do.

The next morning as Gwen went about her normal duties, two guards came up to her and dread filled her.

"Prince Arthur has requested your presence" there was no option, they were either going to drag her or let her walk freely to him.

She just nodded, she was in big trouble.

As she got taken towards Arthur, Merlin went past, his face pale and guilty, he mouthed sorry to her and then she was taken into Arthur's chambers.

He looked annoyed as she walked in. The guards stood behind her "LEAVE" he shouted at them and they obeyed.

"Guinevere" his arms were crossed.

"My lord" she curtsied.

"Do you know why I have asked to see you?" she tried not to look in his blue eyes, if she did she doubted the truth would stay hidden for long.

"I am unaware of the reason" she kept her head dipped.

"Really" he circled her, she could hear his teeth grinding together.

"So if I told you that whilst a prisoner escaped, a maid flirted with my men distracting them, you would not know what I am talking about?" he now stood in front of her, arms crossed. He was looking down at her, which was not hard considering her height.

Best to play along she thought "I would hardly call it flirting my lord" at this he snorted.

"Really...not flirting then what would you call it?" she finally looked up at him, his expression half amused, half annoyed.

"Talking"

His lips pursed together tightly his eyes narrowing on her "Talking!...and the escaped prisoner, what was that?"

"A coincidence" she needed to maintain eye contact, to not look too guilty.

"Really so prey tell me why you were down talking to my guards?" he knew she had a hand in this and so did Merlin although his servant would never admit it.

She bit her lip, thinking about what to say "I went to take food to the prisoner and then Kelan and Peter wanted to talk"

"Kelan and Peter!" he raised his eyebrows. "Funny because they seemed to think you were flirting with them...how do you think they came to that conclusion?" that was the part that had annoyed him the most.

"How am I supposed to know the inner workings of their minds...I went down there to fetch the boy some food and they wanted to talk, that's it" she tried to look convincing, his blue eyes making her stomach feel like butterflies were flying around it.

"That's it.... so you did not say to one of them that you liked his big sword?"

Gwen blushed at this, she had said that, but she could not back down now, she was in too deep "I was merely admiring the craftsmanship of his weapon, my father was a blacksmith after all"

"Of course, now what about the fact that you mentioned I was waiting for your services" her face flushed red and she bit her lip, he hated it when she did that because it made him want to kiss her.

"I apologise for using your name sire, but I wanted to leave and your name seems to bring fear to people" she did not lose eye contact with him.

"And your candle lit dinner with MERLIN and that dress" he felt like his blood was boiling.

"Just dinner, what was wrong with my dress?"

He chose not to list how wrong and how right that dress was.

"Just dinner!....so you went and talked to my men and then just had dinner with Merlin...you were busy last night"

"Yes"

"Damn it Guinevere, tell me the truth....my father is going mad because this boy has escaped and my only lead is you!...do you realise how much trouble you are in?"

She did, if Uther found out she had helped Liam escape she would be hung before the sun set.

She dipped her head. What could she say, she would not drop Merlin in it, after all it was her suggestion for him to let the boy escape.

He moved a curl away from her cheek "Talk to me...if he is not returned by nightfall, he will question those men and I won't be able to protect you"

His eyes swam with anger, love and fear, she could not keep playing this game " I did it, I freed him on my own and he is long gone...I could not let a child die for playing tricks on people" her eyes filled with tears.

"DAMN IT Guinevere - you cannot take the law into your own hands.... you are the most infuriating, stubborn....." there was a knock on the door stopping him from finishing.

A guard entered "The king has requested an update immediately Sire"

He looked at Guinevere and at the guard "Don't MOVE" he shouted and pointed his finger at her, he then stormed out, slamming the door hard on the way out causing her to jump.

She took deep breaths, this could be really bad.

She waited for what seemed like hours until footsteps could be heard coming down the corridor. Her heart felt like it was coming out of her chest, and the memories of her being dragged to the dungeons, wrongly accused came flooding back to her. At least this time, she had done what she would be accused of.

She heard talking outside his door and then Arthur came in, she stood up waiting the verdict...she felt sick to her stomach.

His eyes seemed cold, he walked up to her "It appears that your name has been cleared"

"What happened?" she asked gently...he was close to her

"I lied to save you...that is what happened" He would not tell her what he did to save her, that he threatened the two guards standing watch and placed all of the blame on them for not doing their jobs! About the anger and disappointment that washed over his father's face, as he told him that he and his knights had failed him again and that the boy was long gone.

"I am so sorry" he looked away from her.

She felt terrible for including him in on this, she had been a fool to think he would not find out her involvement and now he had put his life on the line to save her. She needed to make things right again between them, see searched for the right words, but they failed her, so instead she did something out of character.

She stood on her toes and gently kissed his lips, his initial surprise left him and he returned her tender kiss. A fire then seemed to light inside her and she pushed him against the wall and ran her hands through his golden hair, her lips now hungrily kissing his. He moaned as her tongue entered his mouth. Their kisses before had been gentle and stolen this was something different, it was full of passion, anger and relief all rolled into one.

Her nails traced along his neck and his body felt like it was on fire. He had saved her, he loved her and she vowed to never lie to him again.

They heard words in between the sound of their mouths moving together and realised they were no longer alone and jumped apart.

"It was not Gwen's fault, it was....oh" they were all over each other.

"MERLIN" he shouted as he realised the intruder was no other than his idiot servant.

"Sorry...I thought that well um...never mind" and he ran out shutting the door. He had gone in there to confess, to take all the blame to save her, but by the looks of it...they needed a lock on the door, not saving.

They both stood there a little embarrassed, it was Guinevere that finally broke the silence "I am sorry Arthur, for everything"

Arthur dipped his head "The sad thing is Guinevere, is that I was more angry at your flirting with other people and dining with Merlin, than the lies and the loss of the prisoner"

She reached out to touch his hand "I am ashamed that my actions have caused you harm and that you had to lie to your father...I owe you more than I can ever repay"

He sighed and stroked her cheek. He could not let harm come to her and if the truth be known, he did not want the young boy to be executed, he had not killed anybody he was just playing tricks on people. He used to do the same, except he did not use magic.

He looked so hot leaning against the wall his golden hair all over the place.

"Just for the record, I would rather flirt and dine with you than anyone else in this land or the next" he smiled, he needed to hear those words from her lips.

He looked outside, their time was drawing to an end and he needed to get back to his duties, but he wasn't quite ready yet, he wanted to kiss her again.

"So repayment...can I have anything?" she raised her eyebrows at his question.

"Anything!"

Arthur had to admit today was turning out in his favour.

"Anything hmmm...what do I want?" he closed his eyes thinking.

"What do you want Arthur Pendragon?" she had closed the gap between them and when he opened his eyes they met her perfect brown ones.

"You of course" he tilted her back and kissed her.

When they pulled apart "You have me" his mouth made his way to her neck, she couldn't think straight her body felt so sensitive to his kisses.

"Not enough of you" she blushed realising what he meant.

"You mean..you...of course, you are a man, a handsome man and Prince Arthur and you have needs, of course, many maids I suppose .... yes...okay...um...agreed.... I am sure I would not be as experienced as well......" he stopped kissing her realising what she thought he had meant. Of course that would be nice, but he would not allow that to happen until their wedding night. Hang on, she had just agreed!

"Guinevere" he stopped her babbling, she looked adorable, he face flushed red, her eyes looking all over the place, trying not to meet his. "You just agreed!" his voice went a little higher than expected.

She looked very guilty, I mean how could she refuse, if he wanted her then of course he could have her...he had saved her life and to be honest losing your virtue to someone so perfectly formed, would not be bad. "Yes"

He ran his hands through his hair, he didn't mean that but she had agreed, his mind swam, his body reacting....why did she have to take it that way! She would definitely be the death of him...his mind jumped from doing the right thing, to taking her right now.

It was the way she looked that decided it for him, she looked really nervous and so lovely, he needed to clear this up...he did not want her thinking he was without honour.

"Guinevere...you have misunderstood my intentions, I meant I want more of you....meaning time, more time with you...not that...not yet"

She let out a breath she did not realise she was holding. She didn't know if she was relieved or very disappointed. "You just want time?" her words were soft, she still did not want to look at him. She felt very embarrassed the she had misunderstood him and agreed to it! What must he think of her?

She was disappointed, he could see it in her eyes. He really had to try hard to focus his mind away from the previous subject and to the task at hand. "Dinner, maybe or just time to talk" he felt awkward asking.

"Ok" he wanted dinner and talking. Right now she could only think of kissing and other things, not talking. She needed to leave, to get some air, to jump in a river and cool her over heated and over active imagination down.

"Well I should get ready for dinner" he needed to get ready for dinner and jump in an ice cold bath and think of anything else but the fine qualities of Guinevere.

"Yes and I should um" she started making her way out of the room, feeling very awkward. She curtsied "Thank you" she just about made her escape.

"Guinevere is tomorrow suitable to see you again?" he needed to know now when he was seeing her again, the thought of it being any later than tomorrow felt unacceptable to him. After today's kiss, he suspected he would need to feel her lips on his every day.

Tomorrow, he wanted to see her so soon, her heart started beating faster...the embarrassment of the previous conversation easing a bit. "Of course"

His smile lit up the room and finally she took the opportunity to leave. She leaned against the wall outside his chambers, her heart beating like a thousand drums. "Tomorrow" she whispered and smiled, maybe being a criminal had some benefits!