Song: 2-1 ( Will We Be Ready?) by Imogen Heap
Category: Het (Canon AU)
Characters/Pairings: Gwaine/Eira
Rating/Warnings: T
Word Count: 1,169
Author's Note: I'm becoming a Gwaine and Eira shipper. I didn't see that one coming.
Summary : A wave of fear induced nausea swept over Eira, making her feel knew what would happen if she outlived her usefulness, and losing feeling in her legs, she sank onto the bed.
What have I gotten myself into?

(Special thanks to Captain Ozone for editing. )

Disclaimer : I don't own Merlin.

A satisfied smirk spread across Gwaine`s handsome face as he rested comfortably against a pillow in his dimly lit chambers. A slant of moonlight filtered through a window, shining against Eira`s slender, pale body. Her golden hair flowed down the elegant curve of her back while she knelt to gather her clothes.

God, She's beautiful. The best I ever bedded, he thought shamelessly.

"Don't go just yet," he said softly, prompting himself up on an elbow.

" What`s the matter ? "she asked playfully, standing up and turning to face him. She purposefully dropped her clothing and allowed his greedy, dark eyes to devour every inch of the naked flesh in front of him. "Haven't you had enough?"

"You're better than ale, woman. I think I'm addicted."

"Coming from you "I'll take that as a complement."

His grin widened when she laughed. Eira crawled back into the bed and laid beside him, and Gwaine wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer.

"I didn`t take you for the sort who liked to cuddle."

"Oh, I plan on doing more than cuddling."

He leaned forward, kissing her jaw and then claimed her lips.

"Now I'm the one that has to go," he teased, standing beside the bed as he put on his trousers. "The night went by far too quickly."

She sat up, watching him dress. " We can't keep doing this. I'll have to move to the servants` quarters eventually. I must earn my keep you know. I can't live off of your generosity. It wouldn't be right."

"What's your hurry?," he asked with a devilish grin. "I rather like our current living conditions."

" Of course, you do," she giggled as she climbed out of bed to kiss him goodbye.

"I'll see about getting you a job in the kitchen. Now put some clothes on before I end up being late for training for the third time this week. The princess isn't buying my excuses."

"You make it sound like its all my fault," she jested, watching him rush to the door.

" It is. You're too damn beautiful."

At night, a crow perched on the ledge, lightly pecking against the window. After Eira hurried to open the window and unfasten the tiny scroll attached to its leg with shaky hands, it cawed and leapt from the windowsill, and she watched it vanish into the darkness before unraveling the brows furrowed as she gazed at the elegant penmanship marking the tiny parchment. Morgana was growing impatient ,and she demanded news quickly. A wave of fear induced nausea swept over Eira, making her feel dizzy. She knew what would happen if she outlived her usefulness, and losing feeling in her legs, she sank onto the bed.

What have I gotten myself into?

The door creaked open, she panicked then quickly crumpled the parchment and tossed it under the bed.

" What`s got you acting so jittery ?" Gwaine asked with a chuckle as he approached her.

"It's nothing," Eira lied smoothly. "I'm just feeling restless. It's a bit dull and lonely around the castle. Did you speak to the cook yet?"

He sat down beside her, feeling the tension in her shoulders when he put an arm around her.

"Yes. You'll start work tomorrow. That`s not the only thing bothering you is it?"

"I`m fine."

She leaned toward him, kissing his neck in hopes to distract him.

"Hmm. That`s nice. But we'll have plenty of time for that later," he said , smirking at her surprised expression when he gently pushed her away. " Now are you going to tell me why you can't look me in the eye?"

"You're a good man."

Gwaine cocked his head to the side playfully. "So I've been told. That still doesn't answer my question."

Eira rose from the bed, fidgeting with her skirt as she blankly stared at the fireplace. He eyed her strangely then grew alarmed when she started to tremble. He stepped up from behind her and encircled her waist in his arms, breathing in the scent of her hair.

" I'm in trouble," she confessed softly, feeling the gathering tears prick her eyes. "I`ve done something desperate and foolhardy. I needed the money so badly and working on servant wages would not be enough."

She turned in his arms, and he brushed away the falling tears. "What is it? What've you done?"

His lover pulled out of his embrace then knelt beside the bed, grasping a scrap of paper underneath. She pressed it into his hand and backed away, looking down at the floor.

"What the hell is this?"

"Just read it. But know this, I did it for my Lena. She`s ...She`s my daughter. Her father left us when she was barely a month old. My little one is four years old now. It's been a struggle to raise her alone. I know you'll hate me for this, but I didn't have anyone else to turn to. If I didn't care for you then I would never have come forward with the truth. "

His expression darkened when he read the tiny, crumpled scroll.

An image of his mother drifted through his memory as he remembered how she struggled to care for his brother, sister and himself. His father was the greatest knight he'd ever known. No one served King Caerleon more faithfully. He died bravely in battle fighting for him. The king his father served so selflessly turned his mother away when she pleaded for help. Being young and foolish as he was, a sixteen year old Gwaine ran away . He lived wildy and in ways he knew his mother would not approve of. At least she wouldn't have another mouth to feed. That was his reasoning. And he wouldn't have to live in a kingdom with a hypocrite for a king. As the middle child of a broken, noble family, he had not done too badly for himself in the end. After he met Merlin, his life kept looking better all the time. Gwaine didn't know what he would have become without him.

He tossed it into the fire. When he looked up at Eira, she stepped back fearfully.

"What are you going to do?"

"I`m going to report this information to the king. "

"Please, Gwaine …"

His gaze softened a bit and his voice was gentler when he spoke.

"I'm not going to turn you in. Where is your daughter now ?"

"I left her with a cousin who lives in the outlying villages."

"Get your things."

She stared at him dumbly. "Where are we going ?"

Gwaine stepped forward, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her tear stained face.

"We're going to get your daughter."

Eira flung herself at him, crying, hugging, and thanking him all at once. As he watched her gather what little she owned, he knew that they would be ready for whatever Morgana was planning. The odds were already stacked in their favor. It was 2 -1.